Choosing a detox program involves carefully looking at all of the factors that go into the types of treatment that it provides. In addition to the usual factors, such as making sure that they have professionals on staff, you might also prioritize finding a center that offers gender-specific support. Many Ohio detox centers offer gender-specific care, and it is appropriate to ask about the kinds of support that a program offers before you enroll. While some people are perfectly fine with attending a mixed-gender program, others prefer one that offers more separation regarding therapy groups. You might prefer to attend a gender-specific program for the following reasons.
- feel safer in a residential facility
- make it easier to find peer support
- feel more comfortable discussing personal trauma
- eliminate potentially romantic distractions
- focus more on gender-specific issues
The first thing you’ll want to know is that most detox centers provide gender-specific lodging that allows you to begin your recovery in a space that feels the most comfortable. If you need a semi-private room, then it is a common practice to pair roommates that are the same gender. This not only helps to ensure your comfort and safety, but it may also provide you with a better opportunity to bond with your peers. Feeling as though you can open up to the people that are around you makes it easier to cope with challenges such as cravings that arise during the night.
Gender-specific care may still involve having members of the other gender in the facility at any given time, but there are usually clearly defined areas for separation that may include keeping members of the opposite gender out of places where you sleep, bathe or engage in other forms of self-care. You’ll also likely find that the detox program offers opportunities to work through gender-specific issues in your therapy sessions.
Recover In a Detox Program That Is Designed for Your Needs
Many people misuse drugs or alcohol in an effort to drown out their worries about things that happen in life. Trauma from assault is common among people of both genders, but men and women sometimes deal with the devastating emotional effects in different ways. Working with a therapist who understands how you might respond to trauma as a man or woman makes it easier to begin your recovery.
You might also find it easier to express your emotions in a gender-specific setting. Some men might find it harder to cry or show vulnerability in a room full of women, and some women might feel the same. Women and men also tend to have different experiences regarding pregnancy, parenting and aging. All of these things might be easier to discuss in programs that allow people to choose to go to group sessions that are geared to a specific gender.
While you may prefer gender-specific care, you might also find that certain aspects of your recovery are universal. Both men and women tend to struggle with similar stresses as they work through the recovery process, and there may also be opportunities to get together as a mixed group. Hearing about how someone of the opposite gender is working on handling their cravings could give you insight into strategies that you can use as well. You might also find that working with people from the opposite gender gets easier as you learn how to cope with your mental health conditions and past trauma in therapy.
During your time in gender-specific care, you benefit from the feeling of security that you feel when you are with people who are a lot like you. However, you will eventually need to leave your detox center and interact with the other gender in the world. Taking your time to fully work through all of your mental health challenges helps you to feel stronger and more prepared to re-enter a mixed-group setting for work, recreation and the other aspects that you’ll include in your new sober life.
Are you looking for gender-specific care during your detox treatment? We’ve got just the right place in mind to fit your needs. Give us a call at 833-497-3812 today.