Addiction treatment for men

How can addiction treatment be successful for men? We review different types of addiction treatment for men here.

4
minute read

When it comes to men and rehab, finding a facility that caters specifically to men can be a bit difficult in some areas. The good news, though, is that there are men-only addiction treatment facilities. These types of facilities allow some men to focus more on their treatment and express their emotions freely without feeling like they’re being judged. At the same time, they offer services and treatment options that can be found in nearly any other addiction treatment facility.

More here on why addiction treatment for men can be helpful, and where to find it. Then, we invite your questions about addiction treatment by population at the end.

Men and addiction treatment

Addiction treatment for men specifically is often more difficult to locate than addiction treatment for women. Oddly enough, though, according to the Drug and Alcohol Services Administration System Report, the number of men entering addiction treatment greatly outnumbers the number of women entering treatment. Unfortunately, men are also more likely than women to relapse as well. However, the good news is that men who are ready to enter treatment and live a clean and sober lifestyle have a number of different types of addiction treatment options to choose from.

Below are some of the options available for men and addiction treatment:

Inpatient men-only addiction treatment: While men-only addiction treatment may be a bit more effective for some, they are also a bit harder to find. In fact, not all areas have addiction treatment facilities that cater to men only, especially rural area.

Traditional inpatient addiction treatment: It’s often easier to find an inpatient addiction treatment facility that caters to anyone, regardless of gender. Unfortunately, not all men will be comfortable living with, opening up, and talking about their emotions freely in the presence of women. Still, most inpatient rehabs separate therapy groups by gender so that men work with men.

Individual outpatient addiction rehab: By choosing individual outpatient addiction treatment, a man can completely forgo the need to find a male-only addiction treatment facility. Instead, a man will simply be able to schedule one-on-one addiction treatment counseling with a male addiction specialist. This is often a more affordable option, but there is also a slightly increased chance of a relapse during outpatient treatment.

Male drug addiction treatment

Male drug addiction treatment follows the same basic steps and procedures that any other addiction treatment would. These steps are outlined below.

1. Assessment

Being assessed by an addiction specialist is the first step in male drug addiction treatment. During this initial assessment, an addiction specialist will question a man about his drug use to get a good idea of the severity of the problem. An addiction treatment care plan can then be developed.

2. Detox

A complete detox is usually necessary before entering male drug addiction treatment. During detox, a man must let his body get rid of the drugs and adjust to the presence of no drugs in the system. This process can take several days to a couple weeks, and usually results in several uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. A man can choose to detox at home or in a facility that offers medical supervision. For senior male addicts, this can be a more risky part of the recovery process, thus there are special protocols for dealing with elderly men in detox.

3. Psychological and behavioral treatment

The actual male drug addiction treatment process will vary, depending on a number of factors. Men can choose from inpatient rehab, which involves living in the facility during the course of treatment, or outpatient rehab, which involves traveling to weekly counseling appointments. During treatment, man will usually need to undergo individual and group therapy, as well as family counseling at times.

4. Aftercare

Aftercare is an important part of male drug addiction treatment. Men who have completed inpatient treatment may benefit from living in a halfway house until they are ready to take on a drug-free life on their own. Individual counseling and group therapy sessions are also an important part of drug treatment aftercare. This may last anywhere from several weeks to several years after a person has completed a drug rehab program.

Male addiction treatment barriers

Like other demographics, specific male addiction treatment barriers can impede progress during addiction recovery. Some men have a hard time entering addiction treatment for a number of different reasons. General reasons that men can’t enter treatment include financial reasons and time constraints. More specific male addiction treatment barriers can include:

  • Family obligations
  • Stigma of “weakness”
  • Career obligations
  • Peer pressure to continue drug use

Addicted men: Where to find help

Addicted men have a number of different resources that they can use to locate an addiction treatment facility. First of all, for instance, they can ask their doctor or psychologist for a referral. Some employers may also offer addiction treatment services as well.

One of the easiest ways to find addiction treatment for men is via the online treatment facility locator tool on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website. This tool can be used to locate local addiction treatment facilities and narrow the search results down to those that specialize in treating men.

Male addiction questions

As a man, struggling with addiction and looking for addiction treatment can be difficult and confusing. However, it doesn’t have to be impossible. As we’ve shown above, there is help for men struggling with addiction, and there are several places you can turn to for help.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below. We look forward to helping all of our male readers and their loved ones head in the right direction.

Reference Sources: SAMHSA: Find Facilities Near You
Recovery for Men: Find the Best Inpatient Addiction Recovery Centers for Men Only
NIAAA: Gender and Use of Substance Abuse Treatment Services
SAMHSA: How Men and Women Enter Abuse Treatment
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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