Gay Crystal Meth Addiction Treatment

Missing in the city is addiction treatment specifically designed for gay men struggling to get off of meth, said Alyce Belford, administrator at Redgate.
Patrick Piper, a behavioral interventions trainer who leads workshops on crystal meth and its role in the gay community, agreed.

“A gay man is going to be a little reluctant to sit among a group of heterosexual counterparts and talk about using meth for three days and going onto the Internet and into bathhouses,” Piper said.

Shoptaw and Cathy Reback, directos of a addiction treatment program in Los Angeles, have studied thousands of gay men undergoing treatment for crystal meth addiction. They’ve found that gay men initially respond best to treatment that tackles cultural issues specifically suited to them.

“We use triggers that these guys can relate to: going to a circuit party, going to a bathhouse …,” Reback said. “We don’t talk about Super Bowl Sunday, we talk about Halloween.”

Jimmy Smith, a 39-year-old gay crystal meth addict, rejects the idea of gay addiction treatment, echoing sentiments shared by some addicts.

“The world isn’t gay,” he said. “Being clean isn’t about sexuality; it’s about living with yourself.”

While Kathy Watt, executive director of a gay addiction treatment program, doesn’t believe that all gay men need gay-addiction treatment, she says it can be helpful for men those who used crystal meth for sexual enhancement.

Developing a healthy sexual life without meth is one of the core elements of the addiction treatment program we have, which is targeted toward gay, lesbian and transgender addicts.

“We all have the right to be sexual and if people don’t have the tools to do that in the right way, they’re not going to succeed,” Watt said.

If you are looking for a gay addiction treatment program or gay drug rehab, call Recovery Connection at 1-800–511-9225 for referal information.