The best chance an addiction sufferer has to make it through treatment without significant issues is for them to feel at ease with the process. For some clients, that means they need to feel comfortable with the treatment environment to feel inspired to put forth their best effort. If you are a man and feel you would be more comfortable getting treatment in a men’s only addiction treatment center, that is a reasonable request. That would also apply if you wanted to detox in a men-only detox facility.
While it doesn’t seem as important to worry about gender when detoxing, it does matter to some people. If it matters to you, that’s fine. You have an absolute right to seek help in whatever kind of environment you want, and no one will likely judge you for feeling that way. Remember, a medically monitored detox program helps set the table for the rest of treatment. If a male client does well in a men’s only detox program, it increases the likelihood he will maintain a good attitude when he moves on to the therapy portion of treatment. That is exactly what the rehab facility’s treatment staff wants. They want clients who are motivated to give a 100% commitment to the entire treatment process.
If a gender-specific detox program can help deliver that commitment, it’s a big win for everyone. Now that you know detoxing in a men’s only detox program is acceptable if that’s what you want and need, you can start to think about the details. In the next section, we will tell you a bit about what you can expect while you are going through withdrawal in a man’s only detox program.
What Should I Expect from Drug Detox for Men?
While specialized treatment of any kind puts an extra burden on the addiction treatment community, it’s worth the extra effort if it delivers results. Generally, men who chose to detox in a man’s only program do just as well if not better with the recovery process than men who go through a coed program. It’s hard to pinpoint the reason why, but it likely has to do with the comfort angle we spoke of before. The actual detox process does not differ in a gender-specific detox program. All clients still have to get through withdrawal with as little discomfort as possible.
That requires monitoring and intervention on the part of the rehab facility’s staff. If a man or woman client starts to show signs of distress, they will both get the same kind of prescription medication to relieve the symptoms. Where things differ for men and women is the way the programs are set up and the kind of environment that is created for each gender. For men, it starts with the décor. A men’s only detox facility will likely be decorated in stronger colors that appeal mostly to men. Given the politically correct nature of everything today, the décor might actually be neutral. Another area where things might differ would be amenities. A man’s only facility would likely contain amenities and recreational equipment that appeals more to men. Finally, the overall demeanor of the staff would be geared towards interactions with men. As for the benefits of a men’s only detox program, they would include:
- Men feeling less pressure to act strong and stay silent
- Ability to avoid the sexual tension that sometimes arises in a coed facility and program
- A chance to experience recovery with mostly people that have similar life experiences, responsibilities and backgrounds
- Opportunity to address men’s only issues
- Having the opportunity to build male camaraderie that could turn into a support resource in the future
All of these are viable reasons for you to prefer detoxing in a men-only only detox facility/program. The good news is more rehabs have become sensitive to the needs of very specific groups of people. So far, specialized treatment is producing positive results across the board. If you sincerely feel you would benefit from getting treatment in a gender-specific facility or program, that is exactly where you should go. If you would let us help you, we can accommodate your gender-specific needs. We believe in doing what is necessary to help all clients recover from their addictions. If you have any questions about our facility or treatment services, please pick up the phone and give us a call at 833-497-3812.