What’s been your experience with chemsex recovery after a use? Tell us about your experience in the
In this segment, Dallas Bragg discusses a powerful phenomenon he calls “euphoric recall” that often hinders chemsex recovery. He explains that, despite the overall negative consequences of chemsex, the brain selectively remembers only the pleasurable moments, effectively “lying” to the individual. Bragg then outlines the neurobiological drivers of relapse: the midbrain’s dopamine system pushes for a change in state and overdrives the urge to use, while the prefrontal cortex—responsible for executive control—shuts down. He emphasizes that framing these urges as moral failings or external demons misrepresents the brain’s natural function; instead, they are simply the brain trying to achieve a desired state. This perspective aims to reduce shame and promote a more compassionate, science‑based approach to recovery.
