Addiction to drugs and alcohol affects the mental and physical health of men throughout the US. As men often don’t like to admit they need help, many of those addicted continue to struggle alone. However, our men’s detox center in Los Angeles, California, hopes to change these circumstances.
At LA Detox, men can start their recovery off right with medical support and a men’s-only peer group. We understand the unique challenges that men face in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Thus, our men’s detox center specializes in meeting these needs to improve the quality of life for men who struggle.
Men and women experience addiction differently. For instance, men tend to use drugs or alcohol in larger quantities than women. Men generally also have a higher tolerance for substances and could be more likely to try hard drugs. Lastly, men and women often abuse substances for different reasons.
Therefore, detox for men and women will also be different for these reasons. Men might have different withdrawal symptoms due to the types of drugs they use, for example. In this way, detox results in more positive outcomes for men in recovery.
Men often struggle to open up. In general, men are taught to be tough, and expressing emotions or crying are viewed as a “weakness.” However, these emotions are vital to discuss throughout detox due to how vulnerable men will feel as they go through withdrawal. Thus, without women present at our men’s detox center in Los Angeles, they are more likely to drop the mask and open up.
Men and Addiction
Men are generally more like to abuse drugs and alcohol than women. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), 22% of men have used drugs in the past year compared to 17% of women. In addition, only 20% of people in treatment are women, meaning that men make up a vast majority of participants in rehab.
Furthermore, the Partnership to End Addiction explains some of the reasons why men are more likely to use substances than women, including:
- Male institutions and “social rites of passage” often encourage alcohol use, like sports teams and fraternities
- Men binge-drink more often than women, often starting at a younger age as well
- Men are less likely to talk about traumatic experiences than women, choosing instead to self-medicate with substances
- As a result, “men are 5 times more likely than women to develop a substance use disorder”
For these reasons, gender-specific detox centers can help men open up more about the similar issues they face. For example, men might feel that they are alone in struggles with emotional health. They could also feel shame about trauma because men are socially conditioned to appear strong and stoic. However, by getting men together in rehab and detox, they are more likely to hear similar experiences from another.
What to Expect at a Men’s Detox Center in Los Angeles
During men’s detox, patients can expect to work through their withdrawal symptoms with support from professional staff and their peers. In fact, withdrawal symptoms can make men feel vulnerable throughout detox. Thus, having others around for support can help to ease this process.
Men can expect the following throughout men’s-only detox:
- Guidance from a counselor or therapist
- Treatment for issues unique to men
- Peer recovery and group therapy to share experiences with other men
- Medical support for physical withdrawal symptoms
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) if needed
- Monitoring of withdrawal symptoms to ensure safety
- Comfortable environment to begin recovery
- Reduced sexual tension, which can be a distraction during recovery
Since detox is the first step in recovery, patients need to select a program where they can open up, engage, and feel supported. Men might hold back during mixed-gender detox for fear of appearing weak or vulnerable. However, at our men’s detox center in Los Angeles, men often feel more comfortable discussing emotions without women nearby.
What Happens After Men’s Detox
Treatment continues after men’s detox. After all, detox is only the first step toward recovery from addiction. Patients can move on to different types of rehab based on their needs.
LA detox offers several inpatient and outpatient programs to meet the needs of men in recovery, such as:
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
- Residential treatment program
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Outpatient program
- Professional treatment program
- Online treatment
- Rehab for seniors
- Dual diagnosis treatment program
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Aftercare program
Getting into some type of rehab program after detox will improve each person’s chances of success. Remember that detox is only the first step to a lifelong journey of recovery.
Our Men’s Detox Center in Los Angeles, CA
While men generally outnumber women in addiction treatment programs, this is just a fraction of the number of men who need help. At our men’s detox center in Los Angeles, California, we’re here to help men go through the first step of recovery. Detox can be uncomfortable, painful, and even life-threatening. That is why our detox program specializes in tackling the issues unique to men in recovery.
Contact LA Detox today to learn more about our gender-specific detox programs as well as our aftercare for continued treatment.