There is a tremendous social stigma attached to those who abuse alcohol or drugs or experience mental health issues. Shame and the fear of severe consequences, such as losing a job or custody of children, often lead women, men and their families to minimize or deny the existence of a problem.
The experience of trauma and the lack of healthy relationships are extremely common in the lives of affected women. Women, for example, turn to drugs and alcohol to maintain a relationship or fill in the void of what’s missing in a relationship. Men, on the other hand, turn to drugs and alcohol to avoid connections all together.
Healing requires that women and men be in an environment in which they can experience supportive, sustaining interactions with staff and each other, using a model of treatment that focuses on relationships. Men and women have key issues in recovery, including self, relationships, sexuality and spirituality. It’s important to note the difference in the ways men and women deal with these issues and to address them in the ways that work best for each individual. Thus, Group and IOP treatment are separately provided for women and men to optimize the opportunities for gender responsive therapy.
Read more about behavioral health, addiction and gender in Crossroads’ blog.
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