Caring for each other

LGBTQ communities have long been great at caring for each other.  This ‘culture of care’ extends to spaces where we are partying with sex and drugs. On this page we have some advice around what you can do to care for your partners and our communities around party and play. When we were developing content on this page, community members who PnP shared with us some ideas about what kinds of care that they would like to see more. We’ve listed some of their thoughts below.     

 

1. Looking out for each other at parties

When you attend a party, pay attention to those around you and offer gentle assistance and support where appropriate.

This kind of support can take many forms, you might;

• Offer someone water
• Provide space for a chat or debrief
• Ensure that someone has a safe way to get home
• Share your knowledge about harm reduction and offer advice about how to make use safer
• Check in with someone about how much or how often they are dosing
• Call for help when someone is experiencing overdose or serious distress

 

Remember to keep an eye out for those around you who might be experiencing tough times. This includes watching out for those who are upset, physically ill or intoxicated.

2. Be a considerate host

If you are hosting a party, there are things that you can do to make your guests feel comfortable and safe.  Some things you might consider include;

• Ensuring that sharp edges or hard surfaces are padded and covered
• Invite an attendee who is happy to stay sober (or more sober) than other attendees and let them take responsibility to make sure people are safe
• Provide nutritious snacks, fruit, lip-balm, mouth wash & water for guests
• Welcome people warmly and introduce everyone
• Make sure people know where bathrooms are and where they can go for down time

Before your session, it is a good idea to think about what kind of environment you want to create and communicate this to your guests. We encourage you to create an environment where people feel welcome and respected. Create a safer space by setting some ground rules ahead of time and letting people know about these.

3. Reach out after the party is over

The come down after a party can be rough. If you know your friends have been partying reach out to them in the days after a session. When you reach out check that they are okay and see what they need. Some might benefit from a friendly visit, or just some down time in your company.

The drugs that we use can have a big impact on our mental health. We can experience highs and lows. Letting your friends know that they can call on you for support any time and reaching out when you see that friends aren’t doing so well is very kind.

There’s more information about providing care and support to family friends and loved ones around their alcohol and other drug use in this resource developed by Pivot Point.  If you are interested in learning skills to intervene and support peers who are experiencing distress after taking drugs, read about our ACON Rovers program and consider becoming a volunteer.