The social benifits of drug use

The social benefits of drug use are more complex to quantify. But there are now numerous studies showing people use alcohol or other drugs in social settings such as bars, clubs and parties to enhance their interactions with others through increased confidence, greater sociability and less anxiety. For some people this leads to longer-term benefits such as stronger bonds with friends.

This was shown in recent Australian studies where young people reported cultural gains from drug use, such as strengthening social ties and gaining access to social networks that offered a form of cultural capital

“Party drugs” are those which, as the name suggests, are generally used in a dance party or nightclub setting. This set of drugs often includes MDMA, cocaine, ketamine, gamma hydroxybutyrate, methamphetamine or crystal methamphetamine.

Studies have shown people generally use party drugs to give them energy, help them socialise and have fun.

At La Trobe University, we recently conducted a study which explored party drug use – including use of crystal meth – among Australian gay and bisexual men who are living with HIV. Consistent with what we know about party-drug use, we found the men in our study almost always used party drugs socially – at nightclubs and dance parties or to facilitate sexual pleasure