Gender Specific Facilities for Addiction and Substance Abuse Treatment

Gender and Drug Addiction: Why Choose Gender-Specific Rehab?

Does gender play a role in drug addiction? Yes — men and women can experience substance addictions and recovery differently. Gender Specific Facilities can aide in the recovery process.  Several factors influence why this is the case:

• Susceptibility: Men are more likely to use most types of illicit drugs than women are, and across most age groups, men have higher rates of dependence. Men in older age categories also generally have higher rates of alcohol misuse and binge drinking. But across ages 12 to 20, girls show higher rates of alcohol misuse and binge drinking.
• Hormones: Due to hormonal influences, women’s substance misuse can escalate faster than men’s. Men’s substance misuse often begins at a higher intensity than women’s. The hormones responsible for this are estradiol and progesterone. Hormonal fluctuations during menstruation can influence a woman’s negative emotions and cravings, which are relapse triggers.
• Cultural factors: The attitude toward men and women in environmental and cultural backgrounds also play a role in developing substance misuse. How alcohol and drugs are presented in a person’s upbringing can also vary across different genders.

Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment

Several key benefits make gender-specific rehab programs effective in treating substance use and include:

• Fewer distractions: In gender-specific rehab programs, some might find it challenging to open up or concentrate on recovery when being around people of the opposite gender. Some might experience emotional or mental pressures when sharing their feelings around people of a different gender. Some patients prefer to have this sort of distraction removed entirely while they recover and may be able to feel more relaxed while in the company of people of the same gender.
• Similar backgrounds: In gender-specific programs, those recovering tend to have more in common, share similar life experiences and get along better. This connection helps participants open up to each other and feel more comfortable sharing in group sessions.
• Gender-specific issues: Gender-specific treatment allows people to tackle the gender-specific problems that might influence their recovery. For example, in a male-specific rehab program, more time can be spent on dealing with concepts like toxic masculinity or how to manage aggression. In female-specific rehab programs, more time can be spent on dealing with cultural stigmas.
• Relationships: Recovering from addictions benefits close relationships with people who will support your recovery and help you. Due to shared experiences, people undergoing rehab together tend to form close friendships. These friends can be a crucial part of recovering. People of the same gender may find it easier to bond with one another, which is facilitated and encouraged in gender-specific treatment.
• Problem solving: The way in which the different genders approach and solve problems can result in clashes of ideas and mindsets. These tend to be less of a common occurrence in gender-specific rehab.

The Goal of Gender-Specific Treatment

The goal of gender-specific rehab treatment is to make men and women feel safe and comfortable while addressing their addictions and recovering. By separating the other genders, patients can feel more comfortable opening up about self-esteem, their backgrounds, how their addictions were formed, anger, home lives and negative emotions they would otherwise not be willing to share around people of the opposite gender. This type of treatment is designed to encourage and facilitate self-expression and healing in a comforting environment patients feel safe and secure in.

Is Gender-Specific Rehab Right for You?

The road to recovery should be a route that you are most comfortable with. If you think gender-specific treatment is the right choice for you and you will be more comfortable in this sort of program, we encourage you to find out more. We at Transformations By The Gulf are happy to answer any questions you might have about our gender-specific treatments and our facilities. Get in touch with us to find out more.