Drugs and alcohol
Drugs and alcohol can affect how we think, feel and act. They can make you feel more confident, but also make you more vulnerable to risky situations and making choices that you might not usually make. Understanding the risks can help you be prepared and make safer, informed decisions.
When someone is drunk or high, their ability to give or receive consent is affected. Sex without clear consent is not ok. And intoxication makes consent harder to navigate.
How drugs and alcohol affect sex
Alcohol and many drugs, like cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, can lower your inhibitions and lead you to judge situations differently.
This can make you more likely to:
have sex you didn’t plan for
Forget to use condoms, contraception or safer sex practices
take risks you wouldn’t usually take
These can increase your chance of unintended pregnancy or contact with an STI.
Being drunk or high can also affect how your body physically responds to sexual activity. You could have problems with arousal, like erectile dysfunction or vaginal dryness, dulled sensation or difficulties in reaching orgasm.
Other drugs can increase pleasure and make sex feel more intense. This can lead to increased risks, anxiety and low mood in the days after sex or make it harder to have sex without using drugs. Using certain stimulant drugs during sexual activity is sometimes called chemsex.
Consent when drunk or high
When someone is drunk or high, their brain and body don’t work as well as usual. This affects their ability to give consent for sex, as they may not fully understand the situation, have difficulty recognising the risks or have trouble with communication.
In the UK, a person who is incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot legally consent to sex.
It is also harder to get and recognise consent from your partners when you are under the influence. Alcohol and drugs make it harder to read non-verbal cues like body language or hesitation, notice the signs that someone is uncomfortable or have a respectful conversation about safer sex and boundaries.
It’s important to be clear about consent before and during sexual activity, especially when drinking or drugs are involved. Talk to your partner, when you’re both sober, about consent and boundaries
Remember, if someone’s too drunk or high to understand what’s happening, then they are not able to consent to sex. Even if they say yes verbally.
What to do if you need support
If you’re concerned about how drugs or alcohol are affecting you, your relationships and your sex life or sexual health, help is available.
If you feel able, talking to your GP can be a good first step. They can refer you to local services that can help you. Talking to a trusted friend or family member about your concerns may also help. Opening up to one person can make the conversations feel easier and may lead you talking to professionals or support workers.
Other services that can support you include:
NHS alcohol support - useful information and contacts for organisations that can help
Alcoholics anonymous - support resources, groups and a helpline for anyone concerned about drinking
Frank - honest information about drugs and information on local support services
NHS addiction support - understanding addiction and how to get help
Narcotics anonymous UK - resources and meetings to help anyone with a problem with drugs to get and stay clean
Controlling chemsex - free and confidential information and support around chemsex
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