Substantial differences have been observed between the addiction and recovery patterns of men and women. These differences can pose a unique challenge to treating clients in a mixed-gender facility. Many clients feel more comfortable participating in treatment among their same-sex peers, so attending gender-specific rehab is often a great option.
At Baltimore Detox Center, our men’s rehab program and women’s rehab program gives people the opportunity to seek recovery in a comfortable environment.
Why Is Gender-Specific Necessary?
Gender-specific treatment is designed to cater to men’s and women’s specific emotional, psychological, and physiological treatment needs, respectively. There are many differences separating the genders concerning drug use and addiction treatment. Gender-specific therapy can place focus on issues specifically facing the gender they treat.
Some differences between addiction in men and women include:
- Motivations for using drugs and alcohol
- Addiction trajectory and recovery paths
- Outside Influences affecting, such as societal expectations and social pressure
- Differences in how the body processes drugs due to hormones and body composition
- Differences in predisposition to using certain drugs
- Consequences of drug use on psychological well-being
- Statistical risks of overdose and death
People receiving treatment in a mixed-gender facility may struggle to discuss private matters or expressing vulnerability. Women and men often have different treatment goals and expectations.
Benefits of Gender-Specific Rehab
At Baltimore Detox Center, our clients enjoy many benefits of gender-specific rehab.
Some of these benefits include:
- Specialized treatment plans that consider biological, social, and psychological issues related to gender
- Eliminates the possibility of tension between male and female clients
- Group therapy with same-sex peers that encourages open discussions surrounding delicate issues
- Increase in patient comfort levels and confidence, as same-gender environments reduce anxiety and foster bonding experiences and trust among peers
While gender-based approaches are based on verified research, it’s important to remember they’re still based on generalizations. The human experience encompasses a wide spectrum. This is not to mention; there are countless variables beyond gender that affect addiction, perhaps even more so.
Treatment Considerations in Rehab For Women
Our Baltimore Detox Center staff understands that there are differences in the way women become addicted to and process alcohol and some drugs.
A few of these differences include:
- Issues surrounding trauma and abuse are more common in women. Many women who enter treatment have issues specifically relating to trauma.
- Women tend to fall farther and more quickly into drug abuse. Addiction is less likely to occur in women and can start later, but its trajectory is faster and steeper if it does. Women tend to fall into addiction more quickly than men.
- Women face different societal pressures and social issues surrounding addiction. As a result of societal pressure, women attempt to balance productivity, raising children. staying fit, all while never seeming “worn out.”
Treatment Considerations in Rehab For Men
Also, men’s treatment considerations must be a part of recovery.
At Baltimore Detox Center, we recognize some of these differences, including:
- Men’s addiction treatment involves addressing male cultural expectations and stereotypes. Men are wary of entering treatment in the first place because it could be deemed by society as weak, or they’ll be viewed as a failure.
- Differences in emotional temperament make treatment challenging.
On average, men require more time to open up to the idea of treatment and are generally more cynical toward it. - Men have higher rates of drug abuse across the board. While women are at a higher risk for fatalities with drugs like heroin, men are at higher risk for drug-related medical complications, emergencies, and death overall.
- Men engage in more illegal drug use, polysubstance abuse, and use from a younger age. Males face specific pressures in youth that make them more susceptible to use drugs.
No matter the differences, all people are welcome to seek recovery at Baltimore Detox Center.
Start Your Recovery Journey Today at Baltimore Detox Center
Gender-specific rehab aims to provide a safe, comfortable environment for people to express themselves among peers while focusing solely on recovery. If you think gender-specific rehab treatment may be the best choice for you or a family member, please call Baltimore Detox Center at [Direct] for more information.
