Keep a logbook
Keep track of your chem use during the event. Writing this information down is helpful to both you and others. It allows you to check the time of your last dose to assess whether a subsequent dose is safe. If someone at the event feels unwell, you can also refer to the paper to find out what the person ingested and where it may have gone wrong. In this way you can offer more targeted help. Of course, this also works in the other direction. Helpers or others at the party then know what you have ingested and how they can best assist you in case of emergency.
An easy way to make a log is to take a piece of paper and put it in an accessible area (like the kitchen). Write down the names of the people at the party (or just your name) and draw three columns: time, chems, dose.
You can also write your individual usage (or thoughts, things you don’t want to forget, …) in the notebook. This notebook automatically generates time stamps for you. Compared to the paper version, this method is less secure in that others cannot access your intake in case of an emergency.
Watch out for others
Try to keep an eye on each other and help others when needed.
Signs you can look out for that indicate a chemo accident:
- Overdose: breathlessness, chest pain, falling unconscious
- Exhaustion: headache, muscle cramps, dizziness
- Overheating: excessive sweating, reddening of the head, swollen veins
- Hallucinations: panicking, hyperventilating, becoming aggressive
How can I help someone?
- Leave the party environment: a familiar and quiet environment is important. Take off tight or wet clothes.
- Try to remain calm yourself and calm down someone who is aggressive. If the person is seeing ghost images (hallucinations), do not deny these delusions. Instead, reassure him or her. An arm around the shoulder or holding a hand helps.
- Never leave someone who is unconscious alone. They may choke (choke on their tongue or vomit). Put him in a stable side position, on the left side.
- Make sure the person is not cooling and watch for hypothermia. Never leave someone outside to sleep off their intoxication.
- If a person stops responding to pain stimuli, seek medical attention immediately. Contact emergency services (112).
Try to eat and drink during the event.
Even though you are probably not hungry, try to eat something, especially if you have long sex sessions. Eating something will keep you going and help with the comedown later – even if it’s just fruit, a smoothie or a yogurt.
Both alcohol and chems dehydrate your body. Especially the use of uppers like cocaine, crystal meth, speed and XTC/MDMA causes more body heat and therefore can interfere with the regulation of body temperature. This causes your body to not sweat properly, and at the same time causes dehydration. This can cause the mucous membranes of the glans, mouth and anus to lose moisture. This causes wounds during sex, which can allow STDs to enter your body. Therefore, try to make sure that you drink enough water (or other non-alcoholic beverages). One possible strategy to determine if you are drinking enough is to check your urine. If you’re not drinking enough, you’ll notice that your urine turns dark yellow or even orange-red. The smell is also more intense than that of lighter urine. If you notice this in yourself, it’s best to drink some extra water. But be careful, because too much water is just as dangerous. XTC use often makes it harder to urinate, so it is recommended that you drink no more than one non-alcoholic beverage per hour.
Also, watch your alcohol consumption. A cold beer or cocktail may feel refreshing, but it does not hydrate. Alcohol can also amplify the harmful effects of chems, so the combination is strongly discouraged (especially the combination with GHB and GBL is very dangerous!).
Take time to chill
Take regular breaks when you are dancing or fucking. Go to a cooler place and rest for a while. Take some time to catch your breath. This will allow your body to cool down and unwind a bit. It is best to avoid making your body too hot when using chems. It is also advisable not to wear warm clothes or hats (if the room is warm and not well ventilated).
