Fridae

An online Men who have sex with Men (MSM) Sex Survey conducted by Fridae.asia indicated that 13.4% of the respondents in Singapore consumed recreational drugs (e.g. Viagra, ecstasy, poppers, methamphetamines) for sex. Yet, most people have very little understanding on drug use, its effect and the danger of developing drug addiction.

At the same time, overseas studies show that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals who are struggling to cope with their sexual identities, are at a higher risk of developing addictive behaviours such as drug, alcohol and sex addiction.

In 2012, Oogachaga will collaborate with WE Care Singapore again to educate the LGBTQ community on various addiction issues. Join us on 14 July 2012 as our invited speaker Prem Kumar Shanmugam presents on substance addiction. We will also have someone who will share about his recovering process from substance addiction.

If you are concerned about your substance use, worried about someone or simply want to gain more awareness on this topic, please join us.

Understanding Addiction – Substance Addiction
Date 14 July 2012 (Saturday)
Time 2.00pm to 4.30pm
Venue To be announced to registered participants
Fee Free
(Please do consider a small cash donation to us so that we can cover the cost of running the workshop)
Registration closing date 12 July 2012
Please use this link for online registration.

About the speaker
Prem Kumar Shanmugam is Programme Director of WE CARE Community Services Singapore and works with people suffering from all kinds of addictions. He is also the founding member and regional director of Asia Pacific Certification Board (APCB). APCB is actively involved in credentialing addiction counsellors / therapists in Asia Pacific. Prem is also the Vice Chairman of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Association of Singapore.

Prem is a certified Masters Addiction Therapists, a certified Masters Psychotherapist and an accredited Clinical Supervisor with the Australian Counselling Association and Association of Psychotherapists and Counsellors Singapore. He is a certified practitioner in management of family violence counselling with MCYS.

Programme Outline
- General definition of addictions
- Types of addictions (Substance and Behavioural addictions)
- Main categories of substances
- Risk factors in substance use among the LGBTQ population
- Relationship in substance use with:
a) Same sex domestic violence
b) Sexual health risk
c) Mental wellness
- Supportive resources available in Singapore