For many years, addiction treatment centered around the needs of men without accounting for the differences in women’s requirements for recovery. This resulted in some women receiving inadequate and ineffective treatment. Some women even felt uncomfortable visiting addiction treatment centers for various reasons, including fear of stigma or discomfort around men. By considering what each gender needs to recover from addiction successfully, detox center programs can help men and women overcome the struggles associated with substance use disorder.
Whether you have been hesitant to get treatment or you have tried a detox before without success, you may wish to consider the benefits of enrolling in a men’s detox center or a women’s detox center. Gender-specific treatment programs can allow you to receive a more appropriate treatment plan that will help you achieve lasting recovery.
Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment
We are all human, so overcoming drug or alcohol addiction should be fairly similar for each individual, right? That is actually far from the truth. Each individual has different needs for a healthy recovery, even amongst the genders. So why does gender-specific treatment make a difference? Here, we will focus on the benefits of gender-specific treatment so you can understand why you should seek out specialized addiction treatment for women or men for your recovery.
Gender-Specific Treatment Focuses on Men’s or Women’s Varying Needs for Addiction Recovery
Substance use disorder affects men and women differently, and both genders may be drawn to substance abuse for different reasons. Taking these differences into account allows for a more customized approach to overcoming addiction.
Gender-Specific Treatment Facilities Provide an Enhanced Safety for Their Clients
Substance use disorder is often correlated with trauma, especially for women who are victims of domestic abuse. For this reason, many women may feel uncomfortable in a co-ed addiction treatment facility. They may fear speaking up in group therapy sessions with other men, which will greatly reduce the efficacy of their treatment. Gender-specific treatment facilities often supply trauma-informed staff that is mindful of their clients’ past traumas and how they may affect their recovery.
Clients Spend More Time on Relevant Topics in Group Therapy
Group counselors generally want to cover a wide range of topics that apply to their different group members. When you have a mixed-gender group, there are a number of issues that need to be covered, resulting in less specific attention toward the needs of men or women. However, when you are in a gender-specific treatment program, group therapy can provide undivided attention to the needs of each gender. That means participants can get more out of their treatment and experience greater recovery success.
Gender-Specific Treatment Offers More Appropriate Addiction Therapies for Each Gender
Men are more likely than women to relapse after completing an addiction treatment program. With this in mind, a facility that provides substance abuse treatment for men will emphasize relapse prevention therapy to help men stay on track for sobriety. Since women are more likely to struggle with substance abuse in response to trauma or abuse, addiction treatment for women is likely to include trauma therapy. This treatment option is ideal for helping them move past anxiety and fear so they can feel safer in the world. Other therapeutic options may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Family therapy
- Yoga therapy
Through these treatment programs, people are able to begin healing.
Gender-Specific Treatment Can Offer a More Effective Recovery Experience
If you or someone you know has struggled to overcome drug or alcohol addiction, you may want to consider the advantages of a gender-specific treatment program. These programs cater to the needs of each gender so that you can get the customized help you need to leave addiction behind. Kick your addiction for good by contacting your local treatment center to ask about gender-specific treatment programs.
