Beyond The Bar | Pocketmags.com

COPIED
48 mins

Beyond The Bar

The fact that we are more affected by alcohol and substance abuse than our heterosexual counterparts is no secret. This can be caused by issues such as homophobic abuse, mental health issues, and discrimination. Therefore, we tend to turn to drugs and alcohol for a release or an escape.

Casual alcoholism is rife in the community, and gay bars can have a tendency to exacerbate binge drinking with activities and events that push on us the “need” to drink alcohol to have a good time. Events that give free drinks as prizes are doing nothing to help the problem.

Another issue that is also quite apparent is that bars and clubs aren’t ideal for disabled people, as there are usually stairs and steps with no wheelchair-accessible ramps. Along with that, the loud music and crowded atmosphere in a club could be an issue for a neurodiverse person, as there could be the possibility of a sensory overload.

The lack of alcohol-free LGBT+ spaces in Ireland (specifically Dublin) is a huge problem for young LGBT+ people. Every day, on Twitter, people campaign for the need for “gay cafes” and “gay libraries”, and other places for young LGBT+ people to go and sit and talk and meet up. Bars and clubs are not for everyone, and the fact that there aren’t many cafes available to LGBT+ young people is shocking. We need places to meet, socialise, and talk, without feeling the pressure to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

I met with Shane Smart, the Drugs and Alcohol Youth Worker for BeLonG To, and he gave me some information and insight into the abuse of drugs and alcohol within the community, especially among young LGBT+ people.

Hi Shane, what exactly does your job within the service entail?

I provide drugs and alcohol outreach and referral to young LGBT+ people, while encouraging harm reduction methods and safety in use on a national level. As young people are most likely to have intersectional problems such as family, school, homophobic bullying, and other pressures, providing advice and specialised training in a non-judgemental, safe way is the most important part of the job. While most of my work is with the LGBT+ community, also supply drugs and alcohol support services to the homeless and the prison/young offenders community across Dublin and on a national level.

Without going into specifics, have you done much work with cases of extreme substance abuse?

Yes, have. BeLonG To services has an open door policy, and because we host a Monday chats service (Monday evenings, BeLonG To offices), a lot of young people come to me with a high drug and alcohol dependency, looking for advice and counselling. And while we do provide general advice to young people, the Monday chats are there to give information, support, and to refer the young person to the appropriate services.

Do you think LGBT+ people are more likely to have issues such as alcohol and substance abuse?

Definitely. Because of intersectional issues, LGBT+ people are highly likely to turn towards drugs and/or alcohol as an escape.

(The LGBT+ Ireland report states the following: While 86 percent of LGBT+ people reported drinking alcohol, 44 percent had scores indicating some level of alcohol problems or dependence. 10 percent had high levels of problem drinking. Gay males and those aged 19-35 had the highest levels of problem drinking. 56 percent of LGBT+ people had taken drugs recreationally. The most common drugs were hashish/marijuana/cannabis, codeine-based drugs and ecstasy/E/yokes. Those aged 19-45 were more likely to have taken recreational drugs. Recreational drug use was two times higher among LGBT+ people compared to the general population.)

Would you say this problem is increasing due to certain substances being easier to source, especially for younger people?

I would say that, because drugs especially are readily available to anyone looking to buy, mainly within the City Centre (Dublin). Drugs are far cheaper nowadays than they were in the past, with substances such as crystal meth being sold at €20 a ‘wrap’. Another reason crystal meth is becoming more apparent in the community is that the drug is more accessible to young people. There has also been a rise in chemsex (the act of engaging in sexual activity while under the influence of stimulant drugs) in recent years and chemsex parties, which is also a result of the rise of accessibility of drugs such as methamphetamine or mephedrone.

What do you think are the most likely reasons for young people to come into situations where they are abusing substances?

A lot of LGBT+ young people are faced with unsupportive situations, whether it’s at home or in school, or even with their peers, which makes them feel quite isolated and alone, giving them attachment or abandonment issues. Because of this, they turn to drugs or alcohol to escape from the trauma of adolescence, as a way to distract from the pains of everyday life. This is quite prominent with young people who have been bullied, specifically for being LGBT+, especially if they are dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation. They also may turn to substance abuse out of pure curiosity and experimentation.

What advice would you give to young people who are struggling with alcohol and substance abuse, and are feeling pressured to use them?

I would direct them to the Monday Chats Service here at BeLonG To, as we offer a non-judgemental drugs and alcohol support to anyone looking for advice. We use harm reduction methods, as our aim is to reduce the negative consequences of drugs and alcohol.

Do you think there is a need for more alcohol-free LGBT+ spaces?

Definitely. In this modern world, socialisation is wrapped around and focused on drugs and alcohol, as the ‘sesh’ culture is becoming more apparent, especially within the community. LGBT+ young people are definitely more vulnerable to these club spaces, as I have said before, they face many intersectional issues within their lives. More LGBT+ orientated spaces would be incredibly beneficial to the community, particularly for LGBT+ under 18’s who can’t go to bars or clubs.

Do you have any suggestions of any alcohol-free LGBT+ spaces in Dublin that exist at this moment in time?

Well, first and foremost, there’s BeLonG To Services, for ages 13-24, and our address is Parliament House, 13 Parliament St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Our groups meet every two weeks, some are here in our offices, others are based in the Outhouse on Capel Street, and the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, on Strand Street. There is also the Wet and Wild Sports Club, who run outdoor and social events in Dublin.

A lot of young people come to me with a high drug and alcohol dependency looking for advice and counselling.

Cafes such as Accents (Stephen Street Lower) and Outhouse (Capel Street) are also very LGBT+ forward. Then there’s TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland), who have their own groups, and their address is 10 Ellis Quay, Arran Quay, Dublin 7. You can visit them on their website.

For more information about the BeLonG To Drugs and Alcohol Service, or to book a Monday chat call (01) 670-6223, email info@belongto.org, or visitbelongto.org- Shane’s email isshane@belongto.org

What issues would young LGBT+ people deal with that their straight counterparts wouldn’t?

In the recent survey by BeLonG To, Better Out Than In, they found that young LGBT+ people are two times more likely to self harm, three times more likely to have attempted suicide or to have suicide ideation and four times more likely to have stress and anxiety in their lives than heterosexual young people. That is quite major when it comes to mental health. As most of LGBT+ youth would present with the same symptoms, they think that’s just what happens when you are gay.

Then there’s coming out - straight people don’t have to think about it, but when you are gay, non-binary or transgender, you do. And you have to come out all the time, whenever you meet a new group of people, it’s not just once.

Rural isolation is a big factor for many LGBT+ youth. How important is access to peer support?

Peer support is really important. Something that we observe here with young people who come in and join the groups - at the beginning they might be shy but as they are accepted, they flourish. People who are isolated tend to feel ‘no one is like me, no one understands me’. When they meet other people like them or who accept them for who they are, it lessens that anxiety and worry.

Therapist Nash Zvikaramba runs the crisis counselling service in BeLonG To. She speaks to Peter Dunne about the unique challenges faced by LGBT+ youth.

Where do we need more support for LGBT+ youth?

We need more support in schools. Better Out Than In found that of the LGBT+ students questioned, up to 48 percent personally experienced bullying, 67 percent don’t feel safe at school and 70 percent witnessed bullying of other LGBT+ students.

There is still a stigma around people speaking about their mental health issues. How would you encourage people to open up?

There is no one who could say ‘I’ve never experienced any bad mental health ever’. We all suffer from stress. You can’t expect someone to go through challenges and not get impacted at that time. With the stresses that young LGBT+ people go through, given their circumstances, those feelings are actually a normal response. If I go out when it’s cold without a coat, I’ll get a cold - it’s the samething.

BeLonG To offer free crisis counselling in partnership with Pieta House. This service is for any LGBT+ young person who is self-harming or thinking of suicide. To book an appointment, email belongto@pieta.ie or call Pieta House Dublin South on 01-4624792.

This article appears in 359

Go to Page View
This article appears in...
359
Go to Page View
Looking for back issues?
Browse the Archive >

359
CONTENTS
Page 24
PAGE VIEW