Substance Use Treatment Centers for Men in Aurora Illinois

How a Single-Gender Addiction Treatment Program Benefits Men

The way our society brings up boys can make the processes of substance use treatment seem threatening. Men are typically expected to be totally independent and self-sufficient, while projecting an air of invulnerability. Emotional stoicism is frequently seen as a sign of strong masculinity, so boys and men often have years of practice with bottling up or ignoring their feelings. This attitude and the resulting behavior are what allow addiction to take root, and they make it more difficult to engage with treatment. Men who aren’t used to probing and expressing their emotions can become confused or angry, lessening their ability to learn from therapy and other activities.

The staff at drug addiction treatment centers for men are extensively familiar with the emotional processes men must go through to achieve stable recovery. For example, because men tend to be more goal-oriented, therapists and counselors can engage patients through regular reviews of past progress and the next steps to take.

Another focus in a men-only program is changing internal attitudes about treatment. Staff will emphasize and reinforce the fact that seeking treatment is a sign of strong character rather than any indicator of weakness. This is a significant barrier for many men, and single-gender programs can more effectively address this collective sentiment than mixed programs. The mere act of sharing space, histories and feelings with other men in a closed setting can provide patients with an environment where they can actually be themselves and focus solely on progress in recovery.

How the Gateway Foundation Network Uses Evidence-Based Medicine

One common concern among men is entering a treatment program that doesn’t work. While there is no formula for permanently “curing” addiction, there are many forms of treatment that are scientifically shown to be the most beneficial to recovery. All drug addiction treatment centers for men should incorporate evidence-based treatments like those listed below to provide patients with the best foundation in recovery.

Withdrawal Management

Since men are more likely to experience severe symptoms when withdrawing from drugs or alcohol, managing withdrawal symptoms can make the difference between quick relapse and sustained recovery. It’s a question of making life bearable as the body eliminates addictive substances and begins to heal.

Withdrawal management must address the physical symptoms that dominate the earliest days of recovery and psychological symptoms that tend to linger afterward. Alcohol and opioid withdrawal symptoms are often the most severe and extended. Some issues may be relatively minor and easy to manage, such as loss of appetite. Others, like alcohol withdrawal seizures, require close medical monitoring to keep safely in check.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

As part of withdrawal management, patients may benefit from medication-assisted treatment — this is the use of prescription medication to minimize withdrawal symptoms. Opioid withdrawal is the most common use for MAT. Medications including methadone and buprenorphine are opioids themselves, which act for longer periods with little to no intoxicating effect. This stops the brain from going into full opioid withdrawal, allowing the patient to participate in treatment without the distraction of withdrawal symptoms.

MAT is used either as a long-term treatment method or a way to taper patients off opioids safely. Either way, medical supervision is needed throughout the treatment.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

It is extremely common for addiction and one or more other mental illnesses to occur together. People with a mood or anxiety disorder are around twice as likely to also have a drug misuse or dependence disorder, and people with drug use disorders are about twice as likely to struggle with mood or anxiety disorders. Dual diagnosis is a formal recognition of co-occurring disorders, and treatment under this method differs from treatment for addiction alone.

Dual diagnosis treatment involves an evaluation of addiction in the context of mental health issues. It addresses both conditions and how they influence each other, allowing patients to get to the root of addiction while healing from the underlying mental health condition.