While drug addiction and substance abuse happen to both men and women, there are plenty of differences in how drug use affects the sexes, both biologically and socially. In other words, men and women experience addiction in distinct ways.
Be it their motivations for using or which substances they are abusing, there is a variance between the genders.
Those differences extend into the world of treatment. Rehabilitation has a higher likelihood of success if the person going through it is comfortable with as much of the process as possible. To that end, a particular point of difficulty and discomfort in treatment could very well stem from it being a mix-gendered experience.
Given that, gender-specific treatment could be the right fit and best option for some.
Benefits of a Gender-Specific Rehab
Drug rehab for men is well worth considering and offers many positives:
Catered Care
As stated before, men and women experience addiction differently but it’s not only that, men and women generally have different life experiences. Be it on a psychological or emotional level. Not to mention the physiological differences. Being in a place that is laser-focused on the male experience becomes a meaningful distinction.
Relatability
Broadly speaking, it’s just easier for men to relate to men. Being surrounded by a group of your own peers brings an inherent understanding and serves as a solid basis for trust.
Comfort
Being in a place in which you can relate on a basic level serves to make the entire experience more comfortable, productive and effective.
There’s a pervasive stereotype around that men find it hard to open up and be vulnerable. Naturally, that’s not the case for all men but on a society-wide level, that tends to be the view. That masculinity is defined by cold, toughness.
Rehab requires an openness that may be hard for men, particularly if they’re in the presence of women because some of the topics that are discussed in group sessions very well could include relationships. Moreover, the cause of someone’s addiction might, in fact, be directly related to women which make things tougher yet in terms of being able to speak on it.
Shared Experience
That alludes to the general idea of shared experience. At a gender-specific, male-only treatment center you’re surrounded by those who innately understand you. You’ve gone through very similar things and been in some of the same situations. Shared experience is what creates the aforementioned relatability and it’s why that comfort is established more effortlessly.
Stronger Communication and Connection
With relatability, comfort and shared experience comes better communication. Plain and simple. The cornerstone of effectively treating the mental aspects of addiction is the ability to communicate, both in group and individual therapy sessions.
In a group of your peers that comes more easily and leads to the creation of strong connections and bonds.
Fewer Distractions and No Sexual Tension
Not having the opposite sex around at all eliminates a source of distraction and the accompanying sexual tension that could arise. Your focus in rehab needs to be on rehab and nothing else. Relationships in recovery, or even shortly after, are generally not recommended because they come with lots of stresses and triggers.
The priority is to beat addiction and cement recovery as your lifestyle which requires truly getting to know yourself. That’s plainly difficult if your attention drifts towards a relationship.
Why You Should Go To VRC, A Drug Rehab for Men
Considering all the above, a place like Valley Recovery Center in Santa Clarita could be exactly what you or your brother, father, uncle, cousin, friend, etc. need to finally get past the addiction that’s held you back for so long.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our all men’s rehab center.
