Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment for
Substance Abuse
Addiction is a complex disease characterized by the compulsive abuse of harmful substances, leading to long-lasting and harmful changes to the brain. Addiction, also referred to as ‘substance use disorder,’ can heavily impact both the person consuming the drugs, as well as family and loved ones who spend time with the drug abuser. Drugs can take over a person’s life so quickly and can have a detrimental impact on their survival.
What Is Substance Abuse?
Addiction is a relatively common disease that forms in various ways. Drug addiction can start with the experimental or recreational use of a drug, many times beginning in social situations, and can form into a full-fledged addiction rather quickly. Depending on the substance and the frequency at which a person is consuming the drug, addiction can happen rapidly and unexpectedly. For others, addiction can form as a result of genetics for those who might have been predisposed to addiction in their households. There are also circumstances where an addiction forms following a serious accident where opioids are prescribed to treat an injury, leading to a reliance on prescription medication. Despite the way the addiction started, it persisted, and therefore treatment is required.
What Are the Signs of Substance Abuse?
There are various indicators to look out for that suggest you might be suffering from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The signs and symptoms may also vary depending on the substance a person might be abusing. Some symptoms or behaviors that suggest you might be suffering from addiction include:
- Feeling that you have to use a drug regularly
- Developing a tolerance to a substance that requires you to consume more than you once did to feel the same high
- Having intense urges for the drug that block out other thoughts
- Spending money on the drug even if you cannot afford it
- Missing deadlines or neglecting work or school
- Cutting back on social or recreational activities because of drug use
- Continuing to use the drug even though you know it is causing problems in your life or is inflicting harm on your body and your mind
- Doing things that you would not normally do, stealing, driving under the influence
- Failing to be able to stop using the drug
- Feeling withdrawal symptoms when you attempt to stop taking the drug
When you are family or a loved one of someone who is abusing drugs, there are both physical and behavioral signs to look out for that may indicate your loved one is suffering from substance use disorder. Some of the signs or symptoms to look out for in a loved one include physical changes in appearance such as sudden and substantial weight loss or gain, poor hygiene, sudden breakouts in the skin, bloodshot eyes or enlarged pupils, lack of energy and motivation, and a drastic change in appetite.
Behavioral symptoms to look out for may include a sudden disinterest in activities they once found enjoyable, beginning to hang out with a different crowd of people, neglected appearance, lack of care for anything they once cared about, problems at work or school, sudden requests for money without a reasonable explanation, and stolen money or missing items that may have been stolen to exchange for money.
What Is Gender-Specific Treatment for Substance Abuse?
Gender-specific treatment for substance abuse refers to drug and alcohol programs that are specifically designed to treat addictions separately based on gender. Several studies show that there are fundamental differences in how addiction affects men and women. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), gender differences exist in the reasons to start taking drugs, the choice of the substance, the rates of dependence, and how the brain responds to drug abuse. As a result, there are also differences in the reasons for relapse, which can be ideally avoided through proper treatment at rehab. Therefore, the best chance of recovery will stem from attending a rehab that specializes in gender-specific treatment.
Gender-specific treatment programs are built to address these issues head-on and to meet the unique needs of the gender they specialize in. As it pertains to rehab exclusively for men, gender-specific treatment facilities cater specifically to the physiological, psychological, and emotional needs of men. Men often feel hesitant to enter treatment in the first place as it does not come naturally to admit to needing help. Men do not admit to defeat as freely as women might, and therefore creating an environment aimed to comfort men in these situations is important and can be key to convincing someone to attend rehab, to begin with. Men also tend to require more time to open up emotionally about their struggles, and gender-specific treatment centers base programs on a timeline that is more suited for this behavior. Additionally, men respond to certain therapies better than others, therefore offering programs designed to specifically help with the male psyche will be more instrumental in a male’s recovery.
Why You Should Consider Gender-Specific Treatment for Substance Abuse
In addition to the way men and women experience addiction differently, they also tend to have different needs when it comes to how they recover. Attending rehab to overcome drug addiction is a big decision, and accessing the best possible treatment for your disorder is highly recommended. If you are going to attend rehab, you might as well attend a rehab that addresses your needs as specifically as possible.
Some of the benefits of attending a gender-specific treatment program is receiving specialized treatment for gender-unique physical, psychological, and emotional needs, experiencing a comfortable and safe environment surrounded by fellow same-sex clients, and supportive group therapy sessions that offer a more open communication about social and cultural pressures that can lead to substance abuse.
It is essential to set yourself up for success in the best way you can when deciding to go to rehab for a drug or alcohol addiction. Attending a gender-specific rehab program gives you the opportunity to recover alongside like-minded individuals who may have experienced similar struggles, and it also gives you access to doctors, therapists, and specialists who specialize in treatment and recovery methods for your gender specifically.
Valley Recovery Center is an all-male treatment center that offers unique benefits to men who are seeking recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. Gender-specific treatment for substance abuse is highly recommended to help those suffering from addiction seek recovery in a comfortable, like-minded environment. If you or a loved one is experiencing addiction to drugs or alcohol, it is important to seek treatment from a facility that offers individualized treatment programs catered to your specific needs. Visit Valley Recovery Center today to start your road to a brighter, clearer future.
