LGBTQ+ and Gay-Friendly Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers Near Me
Drug and alcohol rehab treatment is becoming increasingly specialized. Treatment designs have been evolving as a result of numerous studies indicating that recovery success is promoted when issues distinct demographic groups might face are specifically embraced and addressed as part of rehabilitation efforts. One such group to benefit from targeted clinical practices is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning individuals (LGBTQ+).
As a group, the LGBTQ+ community has historically had many of its healthcare needs overlooked or flatly denied. Strides have been made in the last few decades, however, and substance abuse treatment—as a part of evolving medical care—has been no exception.
Where Can I Find Gay-Friendly Rehab Centers Near Me?
Whether you are suffering with an opioid addiction, cocaine addiction, meth addiction, crack addiction, alcohol addiction, marijuana addiction, benzo addiction, or any other substance abuse issue, help is available and recovery is possible. You may be in need of outpatient or inpatient rehab and detox programs, and you might be interested in a shorter 28- or 30-day program or a longer course of treatment. You could be looking for rehabs located in South Florida, Southern California, Georgia, or any other US state. Whatever your specific preferences are, you can find the right LGBTQ+ substance abuse treatment center to suit your requirements.
SAMHSA provides a directory of Single State Agencies (SSAs) for addiction treatment. Their Treatment Services Locator tool also allows you to find gay treatment centers near you that align with what you are looking for. You may be looking for state-funded gay-friendly rehab centers or for luxury or private LGBTQ rehab centers. Search results can be filtered based on different requirements, such as accepted payment methods, the availability of payment assistance, and special programs and groups for gay and lesbian people or dual diagnosis patients.
It is mostly important, however, to find a facility that best meets your individual therapeutic needs. The best LGBTQ+ treatment centers should cater for each person’s personal, social, and psychological requirements. A quality gay addiction treatment center is staffed by compassionate and professional clinicians. Effective treatment programs for the gay and lesbian community take place in an environment where diversity, sexual orientation, and one’s personal choices are respected, and where a person can establish new social and emotional networks that are capable of supporting their recovery.
American Addiction Centers (AAC) is a leading provider of rehabilitation programs. If you or someone you love is in need of an addiction treatment center for LGBTQ+ individuals, call our 24-hour hotline toll-free at . Our caring staff specialize in finding the best possible LGBTQ+ addiction treatment center to fit your individual needs. All calls are confidential.
LBGTQ+ Rehabilitation Needs
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been proactive in outlining the standard of care for LGBTQ+ drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers. A free publication, titled A Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals, is available to download from their website.
The guide contains educational materials to inform and prepare addiction treatment clinicians and program administrators to meet the needs of those in the gay and lesbian community in need of more holistic substance abuse treatment programs. At more than 200 pages in length, the guide provides a wealth of information to anyone, including epidemiologic data about specific types of drugs that are being used, special concurrent medical concerns that the LGBTQ+ community faces, as well as some of the issues and discrimination that might contribute to or worsen substance abuse in the LGBTQ+ population (including gay youth and teens) to begin with.
Facts About Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment for LBGTQ+ Individuals
As with anyone suffering from substance abuse, there are many factors that contribute to the problem of drug and alcohol abuse in the gay community. While there is obviously much overlap and commonalities with the general population, there are added factors that play a role in the development of substance abuse in LGBT+ people which should be kept in mind when the role of an LGBTQ+ substance abuse treatment center is considered. Some of these distinctions include:
- Discrimination/public disapproval that, in some places, limits social outlets for LGBTQ+ people to bars and clubs—potentially places of heightened alcohol and drug use.
- Potential frequent engagement in substance use and abuse to mute the emotional pain/conflict felt in the face of a discriminating general population.
- Attempts to “self-medicate” for underlying and accompanying mood or behavioral disorders, or simply to quell inwardly directed anger.
- For some LGBTQ+ youth, succumbing to the peer pressures of drinking and drug taking is enhanced by a desire to “fit in” with social circles.
What Are the Benefits of Choosing LBGTQ+ Treatment Centers?
Patients in treatment bring a host of unique personal factors with them. It should always be expected that counselors and addiction treatment professionals understand and respect these and, further, incorporate specifically tailored treatment techniques based on some of these distinctions when delivering LGBTQ+ addiction treatment programs.
Addiction treatment centers that make specific efforts in accommodating an LGBTQ+ population guarantee the understanding, respect, and careful attention that will be required to promote recovery, making attending gay and LGBT-friendly drug and alcohol rehab centers beneficial for members of this community.
What Can LGBT Rehab Centers Offer?
Therapy to address many of the painful issues that a person may have experienced or may still be experiencing can help to alleviate some of the exacerbating factors contributing to substance abuse. Specific health concerns of an LGBTQ+ population can also be tended to throughout the duration of treatment at a gay addiction treatment center.
Many substance abuse rehab programs incorporate some level of LGBT sensitivity into their treatment designs. Still, some have made much more effort than others and have transcended a level of “LGBTQ+ tolerance” to actual “LGBT-sensitive treatment” or “LGBT-affirming treatment.” In the latter, the program is specifically targeted to gay drug abusers. There are a number of benefits in choosing one of these specialized addiction treatment centers for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ+) community.
Patients at LGBTQ+ treatment centers will receive targeted treatment for their drug or alcohol addictions, with comprehensive assessments from licensed clinicians who are sensitive to the impact of heterosexism and homophobia. Furthermore, patients will also receive effective therapies and education in a safe and affirming environment, with treatment focused on acceptance, integration, risk-taking behaviors, and coming out. It is not until a patient in a gay rehab center learns healthy ways of coping with their addiction that they can experience any chance of long-term recovery.
Making the Transition to Aftercare and Staying Sober
After a patient completes a program in a gay and lesbian addiction treatment center, they may be asked to participate in a part of the program that gradually reintroduces them to real-world situations. Evaluation of social supports and living arrangements will be an integral part of discharge planning, as release into a hostile environment could be devastating to recovery goals.
Similarly, a person can benefit from LGBT-sensitive aftercare plans and continued recovery support groups after leaving the treatment center. By conquering these challenges inside a gay-friendly addiction treatment center, the patient has a greater chance of effectively dealing with their feelings and avoiding addictive behavior when they leave.
American Addiction Centers maintains a strong partnership with a large group of health insurance companies at our addiction treatment facilities. Start the journey to recovery and find out instantly if your insurance provider may be able to cover all or part of the cost of rehab and associated therapies.
Don’t hesitate to call our 24-hour helpline. We can help you locate an LGBT addiction treatment center that will respect your individual needs and point you in the direction of recovery, even if you are without insurance. Call us now free at .