Finding the right treatment program is essential for helping you to find success in recovery. Addiction treatment centers range from ones that encourage diverse, mixed groups during therapy sessions to ones that limit enrollment to a specific gender. Since people with addictions have a wide range of needs, there is no right or wrong way to approach this topic except to make sure that everyone has an environment that they can go to for support with their recovery.
For this reason, you’ll find that there are specialized treatment centers just for men that provide unique services that help to target your needs. Exploring how a men-specific program is different from other types helps you decide if this is the type of program that you need to change the direction of your life.
How Do Men and Women Experience Addiction Differently?
Addiction isn’t unique to men. Women can also develop addictions, but men tend to be hit harder. Addiction not only happens more frequently among men, but they are also more likely to experience serious consequences in their life when they lose control overusing drugs or alcohol. For example, men are more likely to die of an overdose, and they are also more likely to use multiple types of substances. Being addicted to several different drugs or combining a pill addiction with alcohol complicates treatment. Men may also feel differently about seeking help for their addiction.
As a man, you might feel like reaching out for help makes you feel weak. Or, you may worry that people will think that you lack willpower if you can’t just quit on your own. These psychological differences in how men approach treatment change how you might respond to addiction counselors. Fortunately, the staff that you meet in a gender-specific treatment program are highly-trained on how to respond to your needs. They’ll give you support while helping you to know that no one is judging you for your addiction. Being surrounded by other people just like you makes you feel less alone.
What Are the Benefits of Going to a Men’s Treatment Center?
From the moment that you walk into a men’s treatment center, you’ll be met with the support that makes it easier to express yourself. Since men tend to downplay how much they use drugs or their withdrawal symptoms, you’ll meet with counselors who know how to take their time and let you develop trust before they expect you to start spilling your guts.
You’ll also find that you enjoy the benefits of entering a program that is designed to fit your needs as a man.
- focus less on other women-specific issues
- avoid worrying about developing romantic attractions
- feel comfortable telling the truth about your drug or alcohol habits
- bond faster with people of the same sex
- talk about past trauma in a safe environment
- get help avoiding relapse when you go home
- learn how to mend broken relationships or rebuild your career
How Do You Enroll in a Treatment Program for Men?
In a world where diversity is encouraged, it might feel strange to say that you want to go to a treatment center that is only for men. However, this isn’t a boy’s club type of situation. When it comes to mental health, it is recognized that men and women have specific needs that don’t always align. When you search for treatment centers, it is okay to make it clear that you’ll feel better in a male-only environment.
Being able to feel safe talking about your issues and looking for ways to begin to recover takes priority now. Enrolling in a men’s only treatment program is as simple as making a call and providing information about your drug or alcohol habits so that they can make sure their program fits your needs and set you up with an admission date. Is it time to seek treatment for your addiction? We know of men’s treatment centers with openings now. Give us a call today at 302-842-2390.
