6. Self-Help Remains Self-Determined – For Substance Use Without Stigma (Saturday only)

Exchange of experiences, safety, and self-care

Chemsex can be pleasurable and connecting—but it can also involve risks, loss of control, or psychological strain. Many people seek exchange with others who have had similar experiences or look for tools to navigate the experience and its aftermath as safely and harm-free as possible. Here, we provide a space for sharing experiences.
The goal is mutual empowerment, knowledge sharing about consumption, interactions, emergency management, and connecting with low-threshold support services. The exchange is guided by principles of confidentiality, respect, and peer support.

Mati Klitgård (DAH)
Venue: Room 208

Self-Determination and Competence

The CheMP project is aimed at MSM who have experience with ChemSex—regardless of whether it involves occasional use, recurring patterns, or distressing situations. Through the development of analog and digital tools, spaces are created where people can reflect on their ChemSex experiences and develop strategies for managing it.

Urs Gamsavar
Venue: Room 210

On the first day, we examined the role of digitalization and artificial intelligence in healthcare and self-help. We discussed the opportunities new technologies offer, where risks arise, and what questions emerge for people living with HIV and self-help initiatives. Topics included digital health services, electronic patient records, the use of AI as an information source and support tool, and how we can help shape these developments.

On the second day, we explored different perspectives on drug use, ChemSex, and the possibilities of alternative drug policies. We shared experiences, discussed self-care and risk management, and debated how knowledge, support, and community structures can empower individuals.

In this session, we will bring together the key insights from both thematic areas, make experiences visible, and create a shared foundation for the next steps.

We don’t just want to observe the future of digitalization and artificial intelligence—we want to actively shape it. Based on our discussions about the opportunities and limits of new technologies, we will consider what requirements people living with HIV and self-help initiatives have for digital health services and how we can critically and self-determinedly accompany these developments.

We also want to turn our conversations about drug use, ChemSex, prevention, and self-care into concrete impulses for the future. Together, we will develop ideas on how self-help and community structures can empower individuals, where we need change, and what demands we want to formulate. Finally, we will decide which key messages from both thematic areas to bring into the joint closing event.