LGBT Addiction Treatment Fast Facts

Addiction Recovery is Not One Size Fits All. Learn About LGBT Addiction Treatment Available.

It is no secret that the LGBT population is at an increased risk of drug abuse. Sadly, this rate of drug abuse for the LGBT community is almost double the norm. These statistics make it clear that specialized LGBT addiction treatment is necessary to address the specific recovery needs of the addict. 

LGBT residential treatment must include a recognition of these statistics and address these underlying issues in treatment. Furthermore, LGBT residential treatment center staff understands better than most why the LGBT community is at such greater risk.

Addressing the Root Cause of LGBT Addiction

It is widely accepted that the acculturation and socialization processes in society include strong anti-LGBT messages. As children, we are so vulnerable and willing to accept what we are told as the truth that we can’t help but soak up some prejudices. When a person realizes they feel attraction to the same sex or feels a discrepancy between their gender and their sex, if not supported, unhealthy complications inevitably arise. This produces a state of affairs where what the person experiences, in their own personal and subjective way, doesn’t mesh with the values and “norms” that they accepted as children.

This pits the person against themselves, and can produce severe psychological problems. The people experiencing these problems sometimes resort to self medication with drugs – at a rate twice that of the general population.

LGBT Addiction Treatment

LGBTQ treatment centers in effect, work to address these underlying psychological problems with therapeutic programs and lay bare these culturally and societally imposed prejudices to allow them to be seen, worked through and healed.

LGBT addiction treatment needs to be sensitive to these particularities. In this way, LGBT clients can address the internalized homophobia that may very well have contributed to their drug problem. They realize they can not only to accept themselves more fully, but can stop using drugs to cover up the pain that came with a strong lack of self acceptance and a self hate that ended up being inside them through no fault of their own.

For these reasons and more, LGBT addiction treatment centers, such as White Sands, have arisen to manage the specific needs that LGBT residential treatment faces. LGBTQ treatment centers are free to focus on the particular needs of the LGBT clients.

Support is, in addition to that received in treatment, realized in the community as well. The LGBT community offers a healthy sense of belonging and caring that is very conducive to recovery and emotional support in general. To deepen this connection by going to specific LGBTQ treatment centers, is part of the benefit that these centers provide to their clients.

As we have seen, LGBT addiction treatment carries it’s own challenges that are specific to the LGBT population. Through awareness of these particular needs and sensitivity to them, LGBT treatment centers can provide the LGBT population with treatment that is specific to their needs, and thus, has the potential to be more useful and more effective to their clients.

Not every LGBT person with drug problems needs the same thing, but to pretend that they do not face similar challenges by virtue of the society in which they live and how it is still in a sometimes a rocky and painful process of fully integrating them as it should is to do them an obvious disservice. If you are LGBT and struggling with addiction, find the support you deserve. Call us today at 877.855.3470 to speak to one of our dedicated and caring addiction specialists.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.