Going to your first gay bar can be a daunting experience, it is best not to go by yourself. Try looking up a LGBT youth group (or use Met LGBT). It is a good way of making other LGBT friends to go with or if you have already come out to your friend’s maybe they will go with you.

The Gay Scene can vary depending on where you live. If you come from a small town you will find a big city like London intimidating as it has a great deal more to offer with a variety of venues to suit a range of tastes. London Met LGBT and other groups in London run pub crawls which are good for taking your first step into the London scene.

You should always think of your personal safety when you are out in pubs and clubs – if you go home with someone, make sure your friends know where you are going and who with (you don't have to tell them all of the gory details!)

The gay scene isn’t for everyone – you may find out that you just don’t like it, there are alternatives for meeting people – check out youth groups or gay social groups, your local switchboard or gay men’s health agency may know of lots of local activities you can get involved with.

People drink alcohol for many reasons – to be sociable, to cheer up (even though alcohol is a depressant), to de stress. Some of the more negative effects of alcohol can include:

• It can make you very ill
• It can affect your judgement
• Encouraging you to take risks
• Too much can lead to serious health problems

Alcohol can make you lose your inhibitions, if you are not confident you may drinks to boost the way you feel about yourself. It can be far too easy to end up in a situation that you can’t control, or you may not realise what you are doing and the morning after you may not remember what you did.

Many people have casual drinks on a regular basis without it having a detrimental effect on their health. However if you feel that your drinking might be becoming a habit, you may face physical, financial and emotional problems. There are agencies that can help if you are feeling out of control – check out the links page for more information.

The recommended weekly alcohol limit is 3 – 4 units per day for men. One unit of alcohol is roughly equivalent to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine or one measure of spirit. Spreading your units out over a week is the most sensible thing to do, don’t think that you can have your weekly allowance all in one go! If you often go over the limit you need to think about cutting down besides the embarassing situations you can find your self in. You may experience more long-term ill health such as liver, stomach, throat, kidney and heart problems.

Everyone will have to suffer a hangover as a result of too much drink. There are many “cures” out there, here a few suggested ones – see what works for you.

• Sleep – Having a lie in will give your body time to recover.
• Water – Drinking too much alcohol can leave you feeling extremely dehydrated. No matter how drunk you are try and drink a pint of water before you go to bed, More when you wake up and regularly throughout the next day.
• Fruit Juice – Drinking fruit juice will help replace the lost vitamins. The fruit sugar will also boost your energy levels
• Paracetamol – if you wake up and feel like your head is about to explode, a couple of paracetamol with water will help reduce the pain. Stick to the stated dose though.

There are other well known cures like a fry up, more alcohol (also known as hair of the dog) and caffeine but this site is about health so we cant recommend you do those – obviously the choice is yours.

Cannabis

• Also known as – Marijuana, Grass, Draw, Blow, Weed, Hash, Ganja, Spliff
• What it looks like – Solid, dark lump known as resin or crushed small leaves called grass or dark sticky oil
• What it does – The effects are mainly psychological including relaxation, hilarity, confusion, paranoia, anxiety and panic. It can also bring on cravings for food.
• Risks – Regular smoking can cause damage to the lungs. Not necessarily addictive but some users feel that they need it to get through each day. Mixing any drugs can have negative effects.

GHB (Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate)

• Also known as – Liquid ecstasy, Liquid X
• What it looks like – A clear liquid sold in small bottles, measured out in capfuls and swallowed.
• What it does – Effects can leave you feeling sedated or full of energy. The length of the effects depend on the amount you drink
• Risks – Increased use can lead to sickness, fits, muscle pain and possible collapse. If the drug is badly produced it could lead to burning in the mouth. GHB is very dangerous and can be fatal if mixed with other drugs

Heroin

• Also known as – Smack, Brown, Horse, Dragon, Junk, H
• What it looks like – Brown or white powder that can be smoked, swallowed or injected
• What it does – Powerful painkiller, numbs the nervous system from feeling all kinds of pain. Can also leave users feeling – warmth, content, relaxed and safe
• Risks – Heroin is extremely addictive. Effects can include loss of sex drive and energy. Injection of any drug carries major health risks such as overdosing or passing on or getting infections such as HIV. Addiction can lead to erratic behaviour to get hold of more of the drug.

Ketamine

• Also known as – Special K
• What it looks like – small tablet or white powder
• What it does – Special K has very strong hallucinogenic and painkilling effects, it can lead to out of body experiences, memory loss and numbness. Depending on the dose the effects can be extremely frightening and may take a long time to stop.
• Risks – If you have a bad trip you may not be able to control your behaviour. As with any drug mixing is extremely dangerous.

Poppers

• Also known as – Amyl Nitrate, Amyl
• What it looks like – yellow coloured liquid in a small bottle, the liquid is breathed in through the nose or mouth
• What it does – Brief head rush leading to feeling flushed, warm and dizzy. Effects last for a couple of minutes possibly followed with a headache or feeling sick. Can be used as a relaxant during sex.
• Risks – Regular use can lead to flaked skin around the mouth and nose. Do not use if you have any breathing or heart problems. Spilling on the skin can lead to burns, swallowing is most dangerous. If this happens get medical help as soon as possible.

Ecstasy

• Also known as – E, Pills or named after the logos that sometimes appear on the pills
• What it looks like – Pills of different shapes, sizes and colours
• What it does – Feelings of increased alertness and energy. Your emotions and surroundings may become enhanced. The drug takes about half an hour to take effect and the comedown can last for 2 – 3 days leaving you feeling depressed, aggressive and tired.
• Risks – if you feel you have more energy you may dance more than usual – this can leave you feeling hot and dehydrated. Its recommended that users should sip about a pint of non alcoholic fluid an hour. Research has shown that regular use can affect the nerve endings of the brain. Due to the variety of pills available you never really know what you are taking and the drug could have been mixed with anything.

Cocaine

• Also known as – Charlie, Coke, Crack
• What it looks like – white powder that can be snorted or injected. Crack is a smokable form of cocaine that takes the form of crystals of various sizes
• What it does – The buzz gives you energy and confidence. You may end up feeling irritable or aggressive. The effects start almost immediately and peak after about 30 minutes. Afterwards there is a period known as a comedown consisting of hunger and exhaustion followed by depression and sometimes paranoia
• Risks – Regular use can have negative effects on your mental health. Cocaine can be addictive and can lead to feelings of anxiety and restlessness. If you are caught with cocaine you could be arrested for possession.

Steroids

• Also known as - Rods, Stromba
• Can come in tablet form to be swallowed or liquid form to be injected
• Effects - makes users feel more aggressive so able to train harder and recover faster. With exercise can help build muscles
• Risks - Can stop young people from growing properly. Erection problems, breast growth, shrinking testicles, sterility, acne and heart attacks

The information on this page has been kindly provided by the Terrence Higgins Trust on their YGM Online website http://www.ygm.org.uk