It should come as no surprise that the rates of substance abuse in the gay community are significantly higher than the general population. Whether this is a behavioral response to years of dealing with homophobia and discrimination, or a product of the party scene that has historically been highly integrated into gay culture as a means of meeting other men, this activity can destabilize relationships, threaten employment, and bring about other physical and mental health issues. The CDC adds that drug abuse also contributes to higher rates of HIV and other STIs within the gay community.

But where do we draw the line between long-term daily patterns of alcohol consumption and other drugs, and drug-driven sex benders lasting for days on end, pushing dangerous limits that sometimes result in multiple-drug overdoses? How can we try to understand the motivating behavior behind the people involved in this community without implementing harmful stigmas? What can we do to promote safer partying and safer sex?

Chemsex generally describes the act of using drugs to facilitate or enhance sex, <chem> used as an abbreviation to mean “chemical substances.” However, within certain samples of gay communities around the world, this term points out the frequent multiple-day sex parties that are made possible by a specific group of drugs.

For some members of these communities, sex no longer exists without drug use, or at least it is significantly less enjoyable. Breaking this cycle of dangerous behavior becomes an extreme challenge, just as the addiction to chemsex is as real as any addiction to drugs.

Whether you know nothing about the world of Chemsex, or you have a friend struggling with addiction, here are 4 things you should know.