Drug and alcohol addiction affects millions of people in the United States and can severely impact the health and safety of people living with the condition. Heavy or prolonged substance use can actually change the structure and chemical makeup of a person’s brain, making it nearly impossible to stop using drugs and alcohol without professional treatment. Deciding to go to rehab can be a life-changing–and sometimes life-saving–choice.
Addiction treatment is not a one-size-fits-all process. People must find the treatment that can best support them as they work toward lifelong sobriety. Some are interested in gender-specific treatment because of its numerous benefits and optimal outcomes.
Most addiction treatment centers in North Carolina offer treatment for all genders, but some provide gender-specific treatment programs designed specifically to support men’s and women’s different needs. Learn more about the benefits of gender-specific rehab and how you can make this kind of treatment work for you.
If you’re ready to start treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, reach out to the compassionate team at Next Step Recovery to learn about your treatment options.
What Happens in Gender-Specific Addiction Treatment in North Carolina?
Gender-specific addiction treatment programs are intended to address the different needs of men and women as they work to put addiction behind them. Comprehensive addiction treatment programs use a combination of evidence-based and holistic therapies to help people identify the roots of their addiction and address its physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects.
Treatment programs generally include:
- Medically-supported detox
- Individual counseling
- Group therapy
- Family therapy, when appropriate
- Medications
- Mental health treatment
- Skills practice
- Education
- Holistic therapies like nutrition support, exercise, massage, mindfulness, and yoga
Addiction treatment occurs in a range of settings and levels of care to meet varying needs. Gender-specific rehab offers tailored, high-quality treatment to men and women separately versus in co-ed programs where the genders are combined.
5 Benefits of Gender-Specific Rehab
Gender-specific addiction treatment programs in North Carolina offer therapy, support, and education sessions for each gender separately to provide a safe, healing environment. Men and women often face different pressures and expectations, and gender-specific rehab can address and adapt to these to support better outcomes in recovery.
Here are five of the most significant benefits of gender-specific rehab.
1. More Comfort
Recovering from drug and alcohol addiction requires people to feel safe enough to be vulnerable and honest with their treatment team and peers. Men and women often feel more comfortable opening up about their feelings when they are in groups separated by gender.
Instead of feeling uncomfortable, exposed, or intimidated, people in gender-specific rehab programs can feel confident enough to share their stories and feedback. They may feel empowered to ask questions and participate in treatment fully. The result? Deeper learning and understanding.
2. Peer Support
Men and women may share some experiences during addiction and recovery but often face different pressures and expectations throughout the process. Separating people into gender-specific groups can mean more engagement, better understanding, and deeper connections and support within the group.
3. Work Through Gender-Specific Issues
Gender roles, expectations, and stereotypes can lead to stress, anxiety, anger, and other emotions that fuel addiction to drugs and alcohol. People may not always be aware of the role gender plays in their addiction, but it’s sometimes a crucial part of the puzzle.
In gender-specific rehab programs in North Carolina, people can not only acknowledge and relate to issues related to gender roles and norms, but they can also get the tools to address them. Men and women can more easily develop enough trust and confidence to open up about their concerns in a group of peers.
4. Tailored Treatment
One of the most significant benefits of gender-specific rehab is that programs are led by staff who are knowledgeable about the role gender can play in addiction. Practitioners and medical staff have expertise in working with genders separately.
Treatment plans can be tailored to focus on the education, support, and skills to meet each gender’s needs. Instead of spending a lot of time learning, talking, and thinking about issues that don’t pertain to them, people get the focused treatment that addresses their specific concerns.
5. Fewer Distractions
Addiction is a complex condition that affects every part of a person: their physical, mental, and social health, their long-term well-being, and more. People must invest in recovery to truly heal from addiction and move forward. They must learn skills to cope with challenges, improve their physical health, unlearn old habits, and develop new, healthy routines.
All of these aspects of recovery demand a person’s full attention. Gender-specific addiction treatment lets people focus solely on their health and self-improvement without distractions. It creates a more comfortable, supportive environment where people can invest themselves fully in the process of recovery.
Find Gender-Specific Addiction Treatment in North Carolina Now
If you or someone you love need help to overcome drug and alcohol addiction in North Carolina, learn more about the benefits of gender-specific rehab by contacting the team at Next Step Recovery. Our supportive, comprehensive approach to rehab can help you put addiction in the past and move forward. Don’t wait for the treatment you deserve. Get started now.