Men's Addiction Treatment
Gender-Specific Treatment
Introduction to Men and Addiction
Illnesses, including addiction, affect everyone differently. Many factors play a role in determining how drug and alcohol use disorders affect you, including the severity of your addiction, the substance or substances you use, your history with substance use, and your biological gender. For many years, studies into addiction and the effects of drug and alcohol use on the body have focused primarily on how substance abuse affects men. This has provided a great deal of insight into how substance abuse affects men and how gender-specific or men-only rehab can help men overcome addiction.
If you are looking for men’s addiction treatment in Orange County, contact Laguna View Detox today. Laguna View Detox is a luxury rehab in Laguna, California.
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Learning the stats
Men's Addiction Statistics
Studies on addiction indicate men used drugs more often and in larger quantities, began using at an earlier age, and were more likely to engage in binge drinking than females from the same study groups and demographics. Research by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates as many as 67% of admissions to substance abuse treatment programs are male. Interestingly, this holds true across most demographics, including age, race, and ethnicity.
According to data from the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 12% of men over the age of 12 meet the diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder. This is compared to about 6.5% of females, or approximately half. However, it is essential to note that although men seem statistically more prone to struggle with substance abuse, women are statistically more likely to suffer medical emergencies or death related to overdose. Additionally, men are less likely to seek addiction treatment despite acknowledging a struggle with addiction.
Detoxification
Laguna View Detox offers a state-of-the-art drug & alcohol detox program that is safe & effective at our Orange County facility.
Residential Inpatient
The evidence-based approach at Laguna View Detox's luxury residential inpatient program offers world-class methods that work.
Aftercare & Alumni
We offer thorough aftercare planning & alumni programming to keep clients connected to the recovery community.
The difference between men and women
How Does Substance Abuse Impact Men Differently?
Drug and alcohol use disorders occur across both genders. However, as noted above, multiple recent studies have indicated several apparent differences in how addiction affects men and women. Several variables, such as the age of first use, age at onset of addiction, commonly abused substances, and the likelihood of relapse, vary for women and men. Some of these differences can likely be attributed to factors related to biological gender, including genetics and biology, while others are typically connected to environmental influence and societal expectations.
- Withdrawal symptoms: men are more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms that are severe and more intense than those experienced by women.
- Age of first use: men are (traditionally) inclined to engage in risk-taking behavior more often than women. As a result, they tend to start using drugs or drinking at an earlier age than women.
- Escalation: once men begin to use drugs or alcohol, it will take longer for addiction to develop compared to women.
- Preferred substances: men typically abuse marijuana, alcohol, and heroin.
- Relapse: men are more likely to experience more extended periods of abstinence compared to women.
- Dosing: men generally require lower doses of a drug to maintain their addiction.
- Treatment: men are more likely to seek treatment than women as they generally experience lower levels of stigma associated with substance abuse treatment.
The Pros of specialized treatment
What Are the Benefits of a Men's Rehab Program?
When men and women seek addiction treatment, they often have differing needs. The most successful treatment programs recognize these differences and incorporate individualized, specialized treatment into their rehab programs to ensure the most significant opportunities for positive outcomes. Several factors or treatment concerns are best addressed as part of a men’s treatment program. For example:
- The reasons for relapse differ significantly between women and men.
- Men are more likely to experience incarceration due to substance abuse than women.
- Almost twice as many men meet the diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder compared to women.
- More than 50% of men with a drug or alcohol use disorder also have a co-occurring mental health condition.
- Drug and alcohol addictions among men are frequently accompanied by a higher risk of medical and mental health concerns, including organ failure, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
Because the treatment needs of men and women differ, there are several benefits to choosing a gender-specific or men’s rehab center in Southern California.
A men’s rehab removes social expectations and stigma from treatment
A common expectation across many cultures is that men act in certain ways. These expectations (albeit misguided) often include:
Not asking for help.
Not showing emotion.
Being “strong.”
Not sharing problems or struggles with others.
Gender-specific or gender-focused rehabs like Laguna View Detox provide a safe and secure space where men can feel comfortable disclosing and communicating their emotions alongside others who share similar recovery challenges.
At a men’s rehab, you will also learn how to effectively communicate with others and find comfort in the peer support community that develops in the rehab setting.
Focused treatment
Many addiction treatment models and concepts overlap between women and men. However, men’s and women’s experiences with addiction and the root causes that led them to first use or drink may differ. Gender-specific group therapy provides a therapeutic environment where the treatment focus can focus on the specific stressors and triggers most commonly experienced by men. Also, men’s rehab programs allow group participants to learn from one another as they progress through treatment and recovery.
Peer support and community
Addiction is highly isolating. It is not uncommon for someone with a drug or alcohol use disorder to voluntarily shut themselves off from friends and family. Often, the recovery process is equally as lonely because few in your social or family unit understand the challenges of achieving sobriety. Choosing a men’s rehab provides opportunities for bonding and peer support. This breaks down the walls that lead to isolation by allowing you to experience the successes and setbacks of recovery alongside others who share similar goals.
A Luxury Experience
Laguna View Detox Provides Addiction Treatment for Men in Southern California
Laguna View Detox provides comprehensive, evidence-based addiction treatment for men at our luxury residential inpatient rehab in Orange County. Contact a member of our admissions team today to learn more about our gender-specific treatment programs. Let Laguna View Detox help you or a loved one take the first steps towards healing from addiction.
Laguna View Detox provides comprehensive inpatient treatment and luxury detox programs in Orange County.
Resources
- https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018/NSDUHNationalFindingsReport2018.pdf
- https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/sex-gender-differences-in-substance-use
- https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2019/06/03/men-more-likely-than-women-to-face-substance-use-disorders-and-mental-illness
- https://drugabusestatistics.org/
- https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/mens-health.htm