Chemsex & Sexualized Drug Use Treatment in Los Angeles
When substance use gets tied to sex or intimacy, generic addiction treatment often misses what's actually going on. Our chemsex treatment is a specialized program built for that, with care that meets you where you are.
In-network with most major insurers
Our admissions team verifies your specific benefits and explains exactly what's covered, before you commit to anything.
We do not accept Medi-Cal or Medicare.
Verify my insuranceWhat Makes Breathe's Chemsex Treatment Different
Treated as its own issue
Sexualized drug use isn't sex addiction, and we don't treat it as one. It gets its own clinical picture, not a category borrowed from somewhere else.
A team that won't flinch
You won't be the first person to bring this into the room. Chemsex clients work with a dedicated therapist with specialized training in sexual health and substance use, not just addiction in general.
Works alongside standard care
Three dedicated chemsex groups each week at every level of care, while you stay part of the wider community in residential treatment and PHP/IOP. One coordinated plan, not two separate programs.
Open to anyone
Chemsex care here is for anyone experiencing this pattern, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Chemsex Treatment and Affirming Care
This track works alongside the LGBTQIA+ affirming care Breathe offers at every level of treatment, one coordinated plan rather than two separate doors.
Learn About LGBTQIA+ Affirming CareWhy Choose Breathe for Chemsex Treatment
Staff who've lived it
Many of our team members have personal recovery experience. You're not explaining yourself to someone who's only read about it.
Judgment-free from day one
Your sexuality, relationships, and history are treated with respect. The substance use is what we treat, not who you are.
Your privacy, protected
Confidentiality built into every part of how we operate, care that respects who knows you're here, on your terms.
Rated 4.1 on Google
4.1 · 155 Google reviewsEvery journey looks different, yours will be built around exactly what you need.
Our location
A secluded campus in the heart of Laurel Canyon, close enough to reach, private enough to heal.
Questions people ask about this track
Straight answers about how this differs from sex addiction treatment, who it's for, and coverage.
Is chemsex the same as sex addiction?+
Chemsex is a substance use pattern tied to sexual context, not sex addiction. We treat it as its own distinct clinical issue, not folded into that category. More on that distinction: Sex Addiction and Drug Addiction: The Connection.
Will I be judged for how I have sex, or who I have it with?+
This track is sex-positive and nonjudgmental. The substance use is what we treat, not your sexuality or how you express it.
What substances does this cover?+
Methamphetamine, GHB, mephedrone, ketamine, cocaine, and other substances used in sexualized contexts.
Who is this track for?+
Anyone experiencing this pattern, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. See also: Grindr, Hookup Culture, and Substance Use: What Queer Men Should Know.
Will my HIV status or sexual health history be treated with respect?+
Yes. HIV-positive clients are welcomed and treated with clinical competence, not just tolerance.
How does this run alongside standard treatment, like detox or residential care?+
This track runs together with medical detox, residential care, and PHP or IOP, one coordinated plan, not two separate programs. At every level of care you attend three dedicated chemsex groups each week and spend the rest of your day in the wider Breathe community, so the specialized work never cuts you off from everyone else.
What does a week in chemsex treatment look like?+
Each week includes three dedicated groups, at every level of care from residential through PHP and IOP: two chemsex groups and one love and sex group. Groups mix psychoeducation with recovery-focused work. You also work through a workbook written by our own clinical staff and meet regularly for individual therapy with a therapist with specialized training in sexual health, intimacy and substance use. Outside those sessions you join the wider community for groups, meals, and downtime, so you get focused care without being set apart.
I've never heard the term chemsex. What does it mean?+
Chemsex is using substances, such as methamphetamine or GHB/GBL, to enhance, prolong or intensify sex, often in long sessions or group settings. Over time the substance and the sex can become tied together in the brain. What may start as a way to feel pleasure, confidence, connection or freedom can turn into a pattern that affects your health, your relationships, and your ability to feel intimacy without substances.
Why does chemsex take hold for some people?+
It's different for everyone. For some people it becomes a way of managing loneliness, shame, trauma, internalized stigma, or difficulty with intimacy and vulnerability. For others it's tied to wanting validation, belonging or excitement. Our goal isn't only to help you stop using. It's to understand what chemsex has come to mean in your life, work on the patterns that keep it going, and build a recovery that includes a healthier relationship with your sexuality, yourself and others.
Does insurance cover treatment through this track?+
In most cases, yes. We're in-network with most major providers and verify your specific benefits before you commit to anything. We do not currently accept Medi-Cal or Medicare. If that's your coverage, call us, we'll tell you straight away and point you toward a resource that can help.
