Addiction doesn’t play favorites. It can take hold in anyone’s life regardless of gender, age or race. But just because the disease of addiction is universal, the most effective methods of treatments may not be.
Men and women contend with different issues, emotions and circumstances when wrestling with addiction. This is why gender-specific addiction treatment is hyper-focused on men’s and women’s unique situations and needs.
Keep reading to learn about how men and women’s addiction treatment experiences can vary and discover three benefits of gender-specific treatment for substance abuse.
Women and Addiction Treatment & Recovery
Women can encounter certain issues in life more than men, and these events can lead a woman to using and abusing drugs or alcohol. Examples of these issues can be:
- Sexual abuse
- Domestic violence
- Body image and eating disorders
- Low self-esteem and depression
- Child rearing stressors and ‘mom guilt’
Just as women face different obstacles and circumstances in life compared to men, they can also face distinct and different challenges in the recovery process.
Gender-specific treatment for substance abuse can help women battling addiction not only overcome their substance use disorder, but also get to the heart of important woman-centric matters with other women.
In the recovery process, the ability to be open, honest and vulnerable is vital to fully heal and make sense of the path that led to and fueled the addiction.
For women who require a certain level of security to feel safe and open up completely, a gender-specific addiction treatment program would be of great benefit. When only in the company of other women who have experienced a very similar journey, any stigma, stereotypes, judgment and false perceptions of womanhood are removed.
Men and Addiction Treatment & Recovery
Men grapple with their own distinct challenges, and a gender-specific addiction treatment program can more adequately focus on and address these issues:
- Anger
- Aggression
- Resentment
- Temptation
- Emotional isolation
An all-male addiction treatment program can also remove instances of sexual temptation and distraction that often occur in co-ed addiction therapy.
Gender-specific treatment for substance abuse delivers an increased level of accountability in a clinical environment to face both challenges and fears associated with the recovery process. Men can grow in a supportive, relatable community and move toward sobriety and recovery with total transparency.
3 Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment for Substance Abuse
Addiction treatment has the greatest success rate when a program is tailored to an individual’s needs. A gender-specific addiction treatment program can significantly help an individual feel comfortable entering rehab and moving through the recovery process. Here are the biggest benefits of gender-specific programs:
1. Safe, comfortable environment to heal.
– For women, for example, the emotional stress associated with past sexual trauma or physical abuse can be triggered by the presence of men in a space where they’re asked to let their guard down and open up. In an all-female rehab program, women don’t have to worry about feeling anxious or repressed.
– For men, for example, issues of masculinity, such as gender roles, suppressing emotions or feeling the need to put up a façade, can hinder the emotional vulnerability associated with the therapeutic process. In an all-male rehab program, men don’t have to conceal or hide their real feelings.
2. Only healthy, advantageous friendships are formed.
– Meaningful relationships are forged during any treatment and rehab process, and a gender-specific program can eliminate the possibility of unhealthy, romantic relationships forming.
3. Gender-specific addiction issues are thoroughly addressed.
– Gender-specific programs are hard-wired to thoroughly explore the dynamics of the addiction process and how it specifically relates to men or women. In addition to what’s noted earlier in the article, additional gender-specific issues that should be dissected in an all-male or all-female clinical setting include:
- Male peer pressure
- Male parenting issues
- Women pregnancy issues
- Women and men legal issues
Gender-Specific Drug Rehab Treatment at Covenant Hills
Men and women require different prevention and treatment approaches, and at Covenant Hills, we provide gender-specific treatment to help men and women recover in a safe, comfortable, judgment-free environment. Our individualized treatment programs are gender-separate, as well as gender-specific, where men and women live and recover in completely separate living and treatment environments.
Through our faith-based treatment programs, we address gender-specific issues and approach them through the lens of God’s truth. Learn more about how we approach gender-specific treatment, or contact us for a free and confidential assessment.
