The AfterMeth: Gay Men Recovering from Crystal Methamphetamine and Chemsex Addiction

Dr. Dallas Bragg
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Vision:  To eradicate crystal meth addiction and chemsex misuse, especially among the gay male population.  Mission:  Using the power of social media, The AfterMeth will increase awareness around the characteristics and effects of crystal meth and chemsex on the community of men who have sex with men, provide stories of hope to inspire struggling users and produce a repository of tools to be used by the loved ones of men who want to break free from the addictive patterns of chemsex. Join Dr. Dallas Bragg every other week. You can find The AfterMeth Podcast anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. Find answers to:How can I stop relapsing?How can I heal my addiction?How does crystal meth addiction affect gay men?How can I get sober?

  1. 2D AGO

    EP 3:8 Chemsex Recovery: The Shame of Starting at Zero

    Send us Fan Mail Supplemental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/counting The AfterMeth Podcast | Season 3 | Shame of Starting at Zero In this video, Dallas Bragg breaks down why the traditional day-counting model in recovery was never designed for gay men navigating chemsex recovery from crystal methamphetamine, and why resetting to zero after a use episode may be doing more harm than good. Drawing on neuroscience, relapse statistics, and his direct experience working with men in chemsex recovery, Bragg explains why chemsex is fundamentally different from general substance use disorder. When crystal meth becomes fused to sexual experience, the brain encodes the drug and sex as a single event, creating neural pathways that make sex itself a powerful relapse trigger. Generic recovery frameworks were not built to address this dual complexity, and the standard day counter was not built with queer men in mind. Bragg examines the shame architecture embedded in the zero, the moment a man uses after building a streak and watches everything reset. For men in chemsex recovery already carrying significant psychological weight, that reset is not motivating. This is shame in a recovery costume, and shame is one of the strongest predictors of relapse. Rather than discarding measurement altogether, Dallas introduces a window-based approach used inside his Recovery Alchemy coaching program. Instead of tracking consecutive sober days, men measure their progress across 90-day and 180-day windows, comparing use frequency over time rather than performance in a single streak. This method reflects the actual trajectory of recovery, which is rarely a straight line, and allows men to see real, measurable movement without the threat of losing everything at zero. This episode is for gay men, queer men, and men who have sex with men who are tired of forcing their recovery into a framework that was never meant for them. Topics covered in this episode include: why chemsex recovery requires a different understanding of addiction, the neuroscience behind meth and sex fusion, relapse statistics specific to crystal methamphetamine and chemsex recovery, how shame functions as a relapse trigger, and an alternative to day counting designed for men in queer recovery. To apply for our Group Coaching Program, Recovery Alchemy, click here: https://calendly.com/d/cngd-ymw-cr3 The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    15 min

  2. 6D AGO

    EP 3:7 Healing for Sex Offenders with Scott

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide:  https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/sexoffenders The AfterMeth Podcast tackles one of the most heavily stigmatized intersections in chemsex recovery — the moral injury that can arise when men find themselves exposed to, or participants in, content and behavior during crystal meth use that violates their own values, including child pornography, non-consensual acts, and other taboo material. In this episode, Dallas is joined by Scott Stolarick, a licensed master's level clinician with over three decades of experience and the founder of Mosaic Pathway Counseling in Gurney, Illinois. Scott spent 26 years evaluating and treating sex offenders, and his rare combination of legal-system knowledge and deep clinical compassion makes him uniquely equipped to help listeners understand the landscape they may be navigating — whether they face charges, carry private shame, or both. Together, Scott and Dallas explore how the clinical and legal worlds often collide in painful ways, and why engagement, honesty, and building a history with a qualified therapist are essential first steps toward healing. A central theme of this conversation is the distinction between acceptance and approval — a framework Scott introduces to help men make peace with parts of themselves without endorsing harmful behavior. Rather than fighting or suppressing urges born from chemically altered states, Scott encourages a concentric circle model of accountability: starting from what a person can own, and working gradually inward toward fuller self-reckoning. Dallas brings his own vulnerability to the episode, sharing a personal example of how meth-fueled conversations crossed his own boundaries in ways that took significant time to process in recovery. The message is clear and compassionately delivered — you are not alone in what you witnessed, said, or felt during active use, and the path forward requires not self-condemnation, but structured, shame-informed therapeutic work with a clinician who truly understands this population. The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    1h 2m

  3. APR 27

    EP 3:6 When You Get the F**k-It’s in Chemsex Recovery

    Send us Fan Mail Supplemental Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/fckit The AfterMeth Podcast | Season 3 | F**k-its In this video, Dallas Bragg breaks down the "f**k-its" — the moment in chemsex recovery when everything you've built seems to disappear in an instant — and why it's never actually "out of nowhere." If you're a gay man navigating crystal meth recovery or chemsex recovery, this episode is essential. Dallas explains the physiological truth behind the f**k-its: they are not a character flaw, but a nervous system event driven by accumulated emotional pressure. Using his pressure cooker model, he maps out the three stages of relapse — emotional relapse, mental relapse, and physical relapse — and shows you exactly where intervention works best. You'll also learn four evidence-backed strategies to stop the relapse train before it ever leaves the station: Notice everything and tell somebody (the neuroscience of oxytocin and connection). Write it down (how journaling activates your prefrontal cortex and reduces cortisol). Deploy a restorative practice the same day (why timing matters for nervous system reset). Vagal breathing to regulate your dopamine and calm your fight-or-flight response. This episode is for men who have sex with men in recovery, queer men navigating chemsex addiction, and anyone who has ever white-knuckled it through a hard stretch only to find themselves blindsided by a relapse. Crystal methamphetamine rewires your reward circuits — and this episode gives you the tools to rewire them back. Don't forget to grab the supplemental study guide linked in the show notes! Keywords: chemsex, chemsex recovery, crystal methamphetamine recovery, crystal meth, gay men recovery, queer recovery, recovery for men who have sex with men, meth relapse prevention, PNP recovery, emotional relapse, mental relapse, f**k-its in recovery, nervous system regulation, vagal breathing, euphoric recall To apply for our Group Coaching Program, Recovery Alchemy, click here: https://calendly.com/d/cngd-ymw-cr3 The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    19 min

  4. APR 23

    EP 3:5 Finding Sober Community: The Queerity App with Jordan

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide:  https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/sobercommunity In this episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, host Dallas Bragg sits down with Jordan Hurt, New York City-based real estate agent and cast member of the Netflix reality series Owning Manhattan, who made headlines by publicly sharing his sobriety journey on the show's second season. Jordan opens up about a life shaped early by alcoholism, instability, and the challenges of coming out as a gay teenager in Toledo, Ohio with virtually no community or support. His story eventually led him into the sex party scene in New York City, where crystal meth entered the picture — a turning point he describes as instantly recognizable as a descent into hell. He and Dallas explore the nuanced, non-linear nature of recovery, pushing back against the all-or-nothing mindset that can cause men to spiral into shame after a relapse, and instead championing self-compassion, honest goal-setting, and the understanding that setbacks don't erase progress. The conversation then pivots to Jordan's latest venture: Queerity, billed as the world's first sober LGBTQ+ social, dating, and hookup app. Born from the recognition that mainstream apps like Grindr can be deeply triggering — and in some cases algorithmically engineered to connect users within chemsex culture — Queerity offers a safer digital space where users can identify as sober, sober-curious, or in recovery, explore their sexuality freely, and connect with like-minded people without navigating loaded conversations about drug use. The app includes daily wellness check-ins, community event listings, and sober venue guides, and is intentionally inclusive beyond 12-step frameworks. Dallas encourages listeners in early recovery to download the app not just for connection, but as a way to practice sexual reintegration — rediscovering desire and identity in a space designed to protect their sobriety. Find Jordan here: Instagram: @queerityapp 3 months free subscription for anyone who signs up using promo code DRDALLAS Instagram: @jordvnhurt   The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    45 min

  5. APR 16

    EP 3:4 Chemsex Alchemy: Turning Misery into Mission with Darren

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/misery In this powerful episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, Dallas sits down with Darren Murphy, a chemsex specialist practitioner at Forward Leeds Drug and Alcohol Service in the UK, whose journey from crystal meth addiction and drug dealing to frontline recovery work is nothing short of remarkable. Darren opens up about a life shaped by early trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, and a desperate search for the contentment that chemsex drugs provided — a chemical solution to years of self-loathing, emotional abuse, and the painful experience of navigating his gay identity. His story reaches its turning point when a prison sentence for drug trafficking becomes, in his words, the universe giving him what he needed rather than what he wanted — and a pivotal cup of sugary tea becomes the moment he promises himself to turn misery into meaning. Dallas and Darren explore the distinction between needing to quit and truly wanting to — a framework that resonates deeply for gay men caught in the cycle of chemsex use. Darren shares how his prison rehabilitation, a chance encounter with the Samaritans, and the mentorship of a skilled drugs worker ignited his path toward becoming the first dedicated chemsex support specialist in Leeds. The conversation also offers listeners a practical look at the person-centered, trauma-informed, wraparound care model at Forward Leeds — from harm reduction QR codes in LGBT venues to flexible outreach within the community. Dallas bridges this for U.S. listeners by encouraging them to use this model as a template for asking better questions when seeking help. Both men reflect on the profound truth that chemsex gave them temporary permission to be who they always wanted to be — and how real recovery is the work of becoming that person without the chemical shortcut. Find Darren Here:   Instagram:  @Darren_Murphy46 LinkedIn:  Darren Murphy Organisation Instagram: @forwardleeds Website:  https://www.forwardleeds.co.uk/advice/chemsex-and-being-safer/ The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    1h 7m

  6. APR 9

    EP 3:3 Content Creation Post- Chemsex with Mason Cross

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide:  https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/contentcreation The AfterMeth Podcast | Season 3 | Guest: Mason Cross In this Season Three episode, Dallas sits down with Mason Cross, a UK-based content creator and former meth user whose recovery journey led him to an unexpected and fulfilling new career in adult content creation — completely sober. Mason shares candidly about his four-year battle with chemsex, which escalated from smoking to intravenous use, and the harrowing moment he developed sepsis after a five-day session — an experience that still wasn't enough to make him stop. What ultimately broke the cycle wasn't a dramatic rock bottom, but exhaustion and a deep inner shift: the realization that meth was no longer part of his identity. Mason's story powerfully illustrates Dallas's recurring message that recovery isn't sparked by consequences alone — it requires a "why" rooted in who you truly are. Mason also speaks with raw honesty about the fear so many men carry out of chemsex: that sober sex will never measure up. Having gone four years without it, he describes the vulnerability of feeling like a sexual "virgin" again — what Dallas calls a second puberty — and how creating adult content became both his dopamine replacement and an unexpected form of therapy that rewired his relationship with intimacy. He offers practical wisdom for men in early recovery: take a full break from sex before reintroducing it, find something meaningful to fill the void meth once occupied, and lean on community. Mason closes with a heartfelt endorsement of Dallas's coaching, a reminder to "LIGAMO" — Let It Go And Move On — and an unwavering message to anyone still in the thick of it: you can, and you will. Find Mason on Instagram: @masoncrossx The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    59 min

  7. APR 2

    EP 3:2 Getting Back Into Your Body Post- Chemsex with Court

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide:  https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/intoyourbody Dallas sits down with Court Vox — somatic sex and intimacy coach, surrogate partner, and founder of The Body Vox — for a rich conversation about erotic embodiment, conscious sexuality, and what it means to reconnect with your body after meth. Court draws on Audre Lorde's distinction between the erotic and the pornographic to explain how so many men have built their entire sexual identity around visual, performance-driven sex — and how meth both exploits and deepens that disconnection. From the physiological reality of damaged dopamine receptors to the psychological weight of shame-soaked desires, Court and Dallas explore why stopping use is only the beginning of the sexual healing journey, and how practices like mindful masturbation, body-based exploration, and sitting with discomfort (rather than fleeing it) can begin to rewire the nervous system toward genuine pleasure and presence. The conversation takes a particularly vulnerable turn as Dallas reflects on his own lingering distrust of gay men and the emotional fallout of non-consensual experiences during active use — and Court meets him there with compassion and practical wisdom. They tackle the common challenge of men returning to monogamous partnerships post-recovery who feel little or no attraction to their partners, and Court offers a reframe rooted in radical honesty, desire literacy, and the courage to have uncomfortable conversations that can either transform or clarify a relationship. Court also demystifies surrogate partner therapy as a slow, triadic, trauma-informed model — not a shortcut, but a profound path from fear to freedom — and shares details about his upcoming retreats and group events for men ready to explore their eroticism in community. Find Court Here: Instagram:  @courtvox Website:  https://thebodyvox.com/ The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    1h 3m

  8. MAR 26

    EP 3:1 Rebuilding Life Post-Treatment with Martijn

    Send us Fan Mail Study Guide:   https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog/posts/rebuildinglife In this episode of The AfterMeth Podcast, Dallas sits down with Martijn, co-founder of the Herstelcollectief —a Netherlands-based aftercare coaching organization serving men coming out of chemsex and addiction treatment. Martijn shares how the gap between clinical care and everyday life motivated him and his partner Jeroen to launch the collective, after witnessing multiple chemsex-related deaths in Amsterdam's small community within a short timespan. The Herstelcollectief or 'Recovery Collective' in English, offers one-on-one coaching focused on structure, connection, identity, sexuality, and community—bridging the dangerous "gray area" between treatment discharge and sustainable recovery. Martijn also describes his years of volunteer chemsex counseling at Amsterdam's free sexual health clinic, and the collective's new crowdfunding initiative to establish a foundation that will make coaching accessible to those who can't afford it. Dallas and Martijn find deep common ground on several key recovery themes: the critical importance of community and connection (rather than treating recovery as a solely individual endeavor), the power of building structure through small, consistent daily habits, and the way limiting beliefs—like "I'm an addict" or "I'm an introvert"—can quietly sabotage progress if left unexamined. The conversation is warm, honest, and packed with practical wisdom, touching on everything from how to rebuild community after chemsex to the role of "opposite action" from DBT in daily recovery. Dallas also shares his vision for an AfterMeth Foundation, inspired by what Martijn is building in the Netherlands, leaving listeners with a sense of what's possible when lived experience and genuine community come together in service of recovery. Please consider to donate and share the crowdfunding for the Recovery Fund:  https://whydonate.com/nl/fundraising/herstelcollectief   Find Martijn and Herstelcollectief here:  Website:    https://www.herstelcollectief.nl  Linked In:    https://www.linkedin.com/company/108069535/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herstelcollectief/  The AfterMeth: Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theaftermeth/ Dallas Bragg Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/newsletters/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdallasbragg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdallasbragg/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdallasbragg YouTube: The Aftermeth Podcast X: https://twitter.com/Drdallasbragg Free online course to End the Relapse Cycle: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/e7c2Eo22/checkout Meth-Free Blueprint EBOOK: https://www.drdallasbragg.com/offers/o8qFhK5i/checkout

    1h 1m
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4.8
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Vision:  To eradicate crystal meth addiction and chemsex misuse, especially among the gay male population.  Mission:  Using the power of social media, The AfterMeth will increase awareness around the characteristics and effects of crystal meth and chemsex on the community of men who have sex with men, provide stories of hope to inspire struggling users and produce a repository of tools to be used by the loved ones of men who want to break free from the addictive patterns of chemsex. Join Dr. Dallas Bragg every other week. You can find The AfterMeth Podcast anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. Find answers to:How can I stop relapsing?How can I heal my addiction?How does crystal meth addiction affect gay men?How can I get sober?

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