Anal Pleasure and Health: A Guide for Men, Women and Couples (24 page)

MARIJUANA. Although marijuana (also known as pot, grass, herb, weed, 420, and dozens of other names) is still illegal and not nearly as available as alcohol, the smoking of marijuana to enhance sexual experiences is almost as common among some groups as drinking. For many, marijuana appears to have relaxing and inhibition-reducing qualities similar to those of alcohol and other depressants, but with less sedation. The effects of marijuana are quite variable. For example, some people regularly use marijuana specifically as an aid to sleep, while others are stimulated by it.

Marijuana enthusiasts virtually always mention its sensation-intensifying properties as one of the main reasons why they use it with sex. Some people find that a couple of puffs of pot contribute to anal relaxation and appreciation of sensations or fantasies. However, others report that marijuana makes them anxious, jumpy, even "paranoid" (intensely self-conscious)-feelings hardly conducive to anal enjoyment.

One of the advantages of marijuana as a recreational drug is the fact that higher doses generally don't produce dramatically greater negative side effects, as is clearly the case with alcohol and most other drugs. Another positive attribute of marijuana, from the standpoint of anal health, is the fact that it's less likely to deprive the user of the sensitivity needed for anal self-protection.

But the belief that marijuana is benign is false. Regular users can experience powerful dependencies, reductions in motivation and energy, and negative effects on memory, thinking, and mood. In addition, smoking today's potent pot is puff-for-puff more damaging to the lungs than nicotine. Occasional and sensible use, however, appears be no more or less dangerous than moderate drinking.

COCAINE AND OTHER STIMULANTS. A white powder derived from coca leaves, cocaine is usually inhaled to produce a fairly brief, euphoric-stimulant effect. These qualities can, in some instances, intensify sexual interest, fantasies and sensations. On the other hand, because cocaine not only stimulates the central nervous system, but also the sympathetic nervous system that activates the body's reactions to danger and stress, the anal muscles may actually contract involuntarily as a result of cocaine use. This reaction occurs particularly when a person is feeling anxious to begin with.

Some people foolishly apply cocaine directly to the anus, where is absorbed into the bloodstream and also acts as a local anesthetic. Because this practice numbs the pain signals that would normally tell us that something is wrong, significant physical damage is sometimes the unwelcome result.

The fuzzy line between stimulation and stress may also make other stimulants such as methamphetamine (known on the street as crystal, crystal meth, tina, or crank) counterproductive for anal relaxation, even though they may intensify the subjective sense of anal eroticism, and obliterate the last vestiges of inhibition (and often judgment as well). Men-who-have-sex-with-men (not necessarily gay) often report that they only receive anal sex when high. Some also become "bottoms" because crystal is notorious for disrupting erections. An even more common sexual side-effect is a difficulty or inability to come. Crystal meth is by far the longest-acting of the stimulants, with its effects lingering for as long as twelve hours or more. You might think this would be long enough, but meth users are the most likely to go on extended "runs" lasting many days, often disappearing from friends, partners, or work. Besides the lack of sleep, they tend to not to eat and also become dehydrated, with their heart rates racing the entire time.

Another popular drug, MDMA, often called ecstasy or x, combines both stimulant and psychedelic effects. Some users report a heightened sense of intimacy, affection, and sensuality. Although some say they don't feel "speedy" on ecstasy, the typical increases in heart rate and blood pressure indicate otherwise. The tension-producing tendencies of all stimulants-which would normally be bad for sex-can be offset by higher levels of arousal. These substances also help divert one's attention from self-consciousness that might normally constrain them, especially when it comes to taboo or unconventional turn-ons.

Because so many people use and abuse it, alcohol causes far more problems than any other drug. But from everything I've observed over the last 25 years, I've concluded that stimulant drugs, especially crystal meth, place users at the greatest risk for devastating effects on their sexuality. A distressingly high proportion of regular (or occasional but long-term) users develop addictions that can be every bit as difficult to kick as heroin. Stimulant highs are typically followed by demoralizing crashes which can last for days or even lead to chronic depression that can be relieved only by yet another drug-induced high. And if this isn't enough reason to beware, regular speed users often end up losing their sex drives or their ability to become aroused without the drug. My advice: If you wish to experiment with recreational drugs for sex, pick something besides crystal meth, and use other stimulants sparingly, if at all.

OTHER "CLUB DRUGS." All of the drugs I've discussed thus far are often used at dance clubs, circuit parties, and raves-as well as for sex. Some more recent drugs have also taken hold in the club scene, and these, too, may be used in the search for better sex.

Ketamine (known as "K" or "Special K") was originally developed as a anesthesia used in human and veterinary medicine in the early '60s. Now it's become a popular recreational drug available as a powder to be sniffed ("snorted") or smoked, but more commonly as a liquid to drink, or to be injected into muscles. At low doses, K produces dreamy or floating sensations, plus a little numbness. At higher doses, K causes hallucinations and a sense of being disconnected (dissociated) from one's body and external reality.

The most intense form of "depersonalization" is called a "K-hole," in which one's sense of personal identity is virtually obliterated by psychedelictype hallucinations, sometimes with spiritual or "cosmic" overtones. A K-hole trip may or may not be remembered as the person gradually returns to awareness of the body and outside world after a couple of hours.

Heavy, regular users often develop internal bleeding and infections. And it's easy to see why K has become a popular "date rape" drug, since the victim is partially or totally unaware of what's happening and, therefore, completely helpless.

So what are the benefits, if any? Being high on K reduces inhibitions and promotes relaxation-both helpful for dancing or sex. Add in K's anesthetic effects and you can understand why some people use K particularly to overcome the pain of anal intercourse or fisting. Unfortunately, as sensations of pain retreat, so goes their ability to know if you're being badly hurt.

One writer on the website www.ketamine.tribe.net captured the odd paradoxes of K especially well. After describing the "strangely beautiful" feelings of his first K trip and getting into massaging someone, he goes on to say:

...their (sic) seemed to be a "so what" sense about getting off. Like, even if I knew I could have mind-blowing sex, I might just think, "so what" like it's just another experience that will pass, not intrinsically better than any other experience I might have (like chatting with people or watching cool light effects). And I'd imagine sex could sometimes feel like an alien and mechanical process at times, in ways that might ultimately be disturbing.

Complicating matters further, K is rarely used by itself. It may be mixed in a drink, smoked with pot, or combined with ecstasy or crystal meth. If you seek to escape yourself and like to play on a dangerous edge, you might indeed find K to be Special.

Another club drug is GHB, a depressant usually sold as a liquid, but sometimes as a powder (popularly called "liquid ecstasy," "liquid X," "goop," or "gamma"). Originally developed as a sleep aid, it also used to be touted as a natural ingredient in bodybuilding supplements until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned it in 1990.

Besides its relaxation effects, GHB can also cause euphoria and hallucinations. A few sips of GHB is roughly equivalent to having several drinks all at once, plus it's also commonly mixed with alcohol or other drugs. Like Ketamine, GHB is also an effective "date rape" drug.

Unless one has experience with a particular batch, it's difficult or impossible to gauge the dose of GHB. A little reduces inhibitions, slows the heart rate, and relaxes muscles-all of which makes it a popular choice for sex in general and anal play specifically. Accidently taking quite a bit more could lead to a coma-like sleep, or possibly death. If you're new to K or GHB, or not familiar with the dose you're being offered, and you decide to try it, start with a very small amount and wait at least an hour to see how it affects you.

Other "designer drugs" continue to find their way into the clubbing and sex scenes. Since they're all produced in illicit labs, who really knows what might be in them? If we need yet another reason to pause, all drugs are linked to higher rates of unsafe sex practices when over-used.

I know that drug warnings often come from older, uptight people and government agencies that have exaggerated negative drug effects in the past and lost considerable credibility as a result. I have to confess my membership in the older group, but I've done my share of experimenting and readily recognize the pluses of getting high. But any reasonable risk/benefit analysis can only conclude that these drugs-much like crystal meth-are absolutely antithetical to fulfilling sex, positive connections, and basic self-esteem. Please don't use them.

VOLATILE NITRITES (POPPERS). For many decades, volatile nitrites have been used medically for the relief of chest pain. Pharmaceutically produced amyl-nitrite (the prototype of this group of drugs) comes in capsules covered with a fabric webbing. To use, one crushes a capsule and inhales the fumes. The sound of the capsule breaking has resulted in the nickname "poppers" for all volatile nitrite liquids, whether or not they are packaged in breakable capsules.

In the 1970s poppers became quite popular as a recreational drug, first among gay men and later among young sexual adventurers of all orientations. They mostly fell out of favor in the '80s because of medical concerns that long-term use could be a co-factor for the development of Kaposi's Sarcoma, a skin cancer that used to be commonly seen in gay men infected with HIV. As that concern turned out to be unwarranted, poppers have made a comeback.

Inhaling the fumes of poppers causes blood vessels to dilate, which in turn triggers a rapid drop in blood pressure, followed by a dramatic increase in heart rate as the body attempts to stabilize blood pressure. Within a few seconds of inhalation the person experiences a "rush," which devotees say enhances the intensity of orgasm and causes a brief sense of abandon during dancing or sex. The entire experience lasts less than a couple of minutes.

Some people claim that inhaling poppers helps the anal muscles to relax and therefore makes it easier to receive a finger, object, or penis into the anus and rectum. It has been known since the late 1920s that volatile nitrites actually do have a mild antispasmodic effect on the gastrointestinal tract (Holmes & Dresser, 1928). Poppers can also enhance relaxation by providing a feeling of flushed sensation all over the body, which may increase desire for anal stimulation or divert one's attention from worrying about it.

Many people feel anything but wild abandon when they inhale poppers. Instead they feel scared and even panicky as their bodies react to the disequilibrium caused by the drug. And because volatile nitrites are the shortest-acting of all recreational drugs, many users inhale them repeatedly in the course of a sexual encounter. Used this way, poppers not only become decreasingly effective but may also trigger headaches and depression. These effects are undoubtedly exacerbated by impurities of poppers produced in unregulated, often makeshift labs; you never know exactly what you're getting. Many experienced users seek to minimize negative effects by limiting popper use to one or a few high points during sex-such as just before orgasm. As with all drugs, an inability to restrain usage, despite negative consequences, is a sign of dependency.

VARIABILITY OF EFFECTS. It's inaccurate to assert that any particular drug produces the same effects for everyone. Responses to all drugs vary widely from person to person and from situation to situation. With experience, most people learn to predict their own responses fairly well by taking into account the many important factors that affect them such as emotional state, setting, expectations, reactions of others, dosage, and interactions with other chemicals.

While all drugs trigger varied responses, some are more variable than others. For example, large quantities of alcohol predictably cause the symptoms universally recognized as intoxication. But how much alcohol it takes to produce drunkenness, and whether a drunk person staggers joyfully, tearfully, or looking for a fight, depends on factors other than the alcohol itself. The effects of other drugs, most notably marijuana, vary so widely from person to person that no particular response can be consistently expected.

Nowhere is this variability of responses more obvious than it is with anal eroticism. A drug that appears to wipe out the last vestiges of anal tension and inhibition for one person may make another person taut, frustrated, or totally uninterested. Any drug may conceivably help reduce anxiety about anal eroticism, increase it, or have no effect either way. Those who claim that a particular drug makes a person more open to anal eroticism are simply misinformed.

WHAT To Do. Especially if you have trouble associating erotic feelings with the anal area, or find it difficult to relax sufficiently to enjoy them, it can be tempting to search for a drug to-as one client put it-"open doors that I don't even know how to find." It can't be denied that the use of a drug can, on occasion, trigger a breakthrough in the erotic enjoyment of the anus. Nonetheless, I believe that recreational drug use should be kept to a minimum or avoided altogether, particularly during the early stages of anal erotic exploration. Certainly, if an occasional glass of wine or puff of marijuana helps you to relax and focus on pleasurable sensations-and you're not prone to substance abuse-then there's no reason, other than moral or legal concerns, for not using it.