They give pleasure, lower inhibitions, make us feel horny and more sexually intimate, and can intensify feelings of friendship and togetherness when socialising.
They take us out of ourselves and away from our everyday lives, for a while at least. They take us up and down, sideways, and through the middle. If this wasn’t the case, millions of people wouldn’t take them, so there’s absolutely no point pretending they don’t do something when they do.
But these are not the only reasons. Scratch the surface and there’s experimentation, unhappiness, rebellion, relaxation, escape, fitting in, loneliness, peer pressure, boredom, and how easy drugs can be to get, particularly in London.
And we’re not just talking about chemsex. Who hasn’t had a drink or two before plucking up the courage to chat with a guy or meet him on a date for the first time? Alcohol remains the social lubricant for many, particularly on the gay scene.
