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Navigating Sexuality while in Recovery

Essay outlining my thoughts and work on drug prevention programs used for scholarship application.

Prompt. Rehab programs traditionally use individual and group counseling to help clients overcome addiction. In recent years, treatment protocols have evolved to include more holistic therapy options to support the recovery process. What is one alternative treatment approach that you think more rehab facilities should include in their programs? Why do you think alternative treatment methods need to be included with traditional methods as a part of the recovery process?

Essay



As a scholar with specific subject matter expertise in harm reduction epidemiology and recovery program development, and as an individual living with HIV and queer man with history of substance abuse whose work and life are deeply intertwined, I have experienced- and benefited from- the values of traditional treatment models as much as I have yearned for more integrative, holistic methods that address the interconnectedness of my being. My survival depends on the core principles learned in the course of my drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation; but there was always something missing. And, this missing piece, often had me dangerously close to relapsing. I knew there was something more that could be done to support folks like me who want to live without chemical dependency. So, for the last 7 years, academically and professionally, I have worked in harm reduction and recovery spaces, developing programs and treatment models as well as curriculums designed for outreach in the communities at-risk of substance issues. Namely, my recently published curriculum used by Planned Parenthood Health Education Departments across the nation, entitled “Navigating Sexuality while in Recovery,” which addresses the intersection between chemsex, identity, and drug use. 


This trauma-informed, inclusive education series was designed for individuals in substance use recovery programs and the staff that serve them. I understand that recovery is about more than abstaining, it’s about rebuilding an identity and sense of self; and that includes our sexuality. Sexual health, intimacy, and relationship dynamics are often overlooked aspects of recovery, yet they are deeply connected to identity, self-worth, trauma healing, and long-term wellness. By providing an environment that is supportive and nonjudgemental, specifically regarding sex, desires, and pleasure, folks can begin to reconnect with their bodies and understand the impact of substance use on sexual health decision-making. It helps us explore healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, and communication skills; and addresses the shame and stigma related to sexuality, trauma, and recovery. It also teaches safer sex practices and how to access tools like condoms, PrEP (HIV-prevention medication), and STI testing. The primary goal is to foster empowerment and agency over our own bodies and choices, rather than further the injury of shame so often used in 12-step programs. 


Again, 12-step programs are the foundation of my own recovery and countless others. However, we need to move beyond the limitations of these models and into a framework of drug abuse prevention that recognizes the complexity of individuals and their relationships, desires, and feelings about the world around them. Folks in recovery find few places they’re able to talk honestly about sex and relationships without judgement. By integrating this programming into your services, recovery communities are affirming that healing includes every part of a person, not just their substance use history. 


When I am discussing this curriculum with leadership in the treatment community, I emphasize that I am standing on the shoulders of giants. I understand the value of traditional methods, as foundational to the reconstruction of one’s life after they’ve chosen to liberate themselves from addiction. Nonetheless, a fundamentalist approach to recovery more often leads to higher relapse and overdose morbidity and mortality rates than an evidence-based, trauma-informed, humanistic model centering the whole person and their needs. We can integrate new knowledge while recognizing the value of what has helped those before us and develop new treatment programs that address sexual health and make sexuality something that strengthens recovery. 


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