If you are looking into addiction treatment programs for yourself or for a loved one, you may have realized that there are many different options. There are detox programs, residential treatment programs, outpatient programs, and sober living housing. You may have also seen options for gender-specific treatment. If you’ve wondered whether a women’s treatment program in CA is right for you or a loved one, there are a few benefits of gender-specific treatment that you should consider.
Learn more about Soledad House and begin breaking free from addiction to drugs or alcohol.
What Is a Gender-Specific Treatment Program?
First, what is a gender-specific treatment program? These programs cater their treatment plans specifically to men or women. Throughout all of their group therapy sessions and other programs, clients spend time with those of the same gender.
Why do individuals choose gender-specific treatment? This treatment option can offer many unique benefits over coed addiction treatment programs.
To understand why different treatment centers will offer gender-specific addiction treatment, it is helpful to know that men and women experience addiction differently. For example, women cannot break down alcohol as quickly as men can. The same number of drinks for a man and a woman will affect them each differently. This has to do with the enzymes in women’s stomachs and their body fat percentages. Women are also more likely to develop problems with drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin than men. Additionally, hormonal changes throughout the month can lead women to use drugs or alcohol more at certain times of their cycles.
3 Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment for Addiction
Gender-specific treatment offers many benefits for women.
Men and Women Have Different Treatment Needs
For men, addiction often begins as a way to experience feelings of euphoria or to enjoy parties. However, for women, drug and alcohol addiction can begin as a way to escape painful memories or negative emotions. While the underlying causes of addiction vary from person to person, in a women’s addiction recovery program, women can talk to therapists and counselors who understand their unique experiences.
Women Are More Comfortable Opening Up
For women who are entering treatment, it can be nerve-wracking to open up in group discussions when men are present. Many women with substance use disorders have experienced abuse in the past, often at the hands of a romantic partner or male relative. In coed therapy sessions, it’s possible that a man who struggles with anger issues and a woman with PTSD could be in the same group, which could make opening up challenging. But in a gender-specific treatment program, women can feel safe. In a single-gender group, women are also less likely to be distracted by developing feelings for members of the opposite gender.
Experienced Counselors for Gender-Specific Experiences
Women who have become addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely than the general population to have experienced some form of sexual trauma. In a women’s only treatment program, they will feel more comfortable discussing their experiences. Additionally, their counselors and therapists have had specialized training.
Women in addiction treatment might also want to spend time discussing how drug and alcohol use has impacted their roles as mothers, romantic partners, or in the workplace.
Contact Soledad House for Gender-Specific Addiction Treatment
If you or a loved one is in need of treatment for drug or alcohol addiction, reach out to Soledad House today. In our women’s treatment program in CA, you’ll find a safe space to recover. Our programs include:
- Christian rehab program
- Spiritual counseling for addiction recovery
- 12 step program
- Sober living program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Extended care
- Relapse prevention
- Aftercare addiction program
- Partial hospitalization program
- Life skills training for addiction recovery
Don’t hesitate to start your journey to recovery today. Find out more about our gender-specific treatment program by contacting Soledad House today at 866.314.3222.
