Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

Alcohol Rehab-A Sobering Decision
After years of struggling with addiction, Keith Urban checks into rehab for alcohol abuse with Nicole Kidman, his wife of four months, at his side

Thursday Oct 26, 2006 12:00pm EST

“They are in this together,” a friend says of the couple (at the Grammys in February). “You really do have to take this one day at a time.”
CREDIT: KEVIN MAZUR / WIREIMAGE

At Bread & Company, a cozy cafe in Nashville, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are known as the oatmeal-and-egg-white-omelette couple. They place the same order every time they come in – including the morning of Oct. 3 when, over their usual, “they chatted with one another, smiled and seemed very relaxed,” says one observer. And so it was right up until Urban dashed in for an oatmeal to go on Oct. 16 – and then stopped coming.

Three days later the staff at Bread & Company were dumbfounded to find out why: Not 24 hours after doing several interviews for his new album Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing, the country star checked into a alcohol rehab clinic to treat a drinking problem. “We just all hope Nicole sticks by him through this,” says one staffer, “and that they come out stronger.”

By all accounts, she has. On Oct. 19, when Urban stunned even those close to him by admitting himself into alcohol rehab – canceling all work commitments just days before the Nov. 7 release of his CD – Kidman was at his side. She too had to bring a pause to a busy schedule that in the past month or so has at times kept her far apart from her husband. Though she was scheduled to do promotional work for her movie Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus in L.A. over the weekend, she called it all off in order to be with Urban when he entered alcohol rehab. “She is standing by him,” a friend says of the actress. “They have a commitment to each other. It’s incredibly painful, but they’re working it out together.”

Bookmark to:

Gay Drug Rehab Criteria

There seldom exists a problem that has no solution. This is true for drug addiction too. There are specific addiction treatment centers called drug rehab whose main goal is to help drug addicts and alcoholics discover recovery.

Although there are quite a few gay addiction treatment programs, finding an effective gay drug rehab is a formidable task. While many drug rehabs market themselves as gay drug rehabs, the fact is they are not.

When looing for a gay drug rehab center, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Find out about the staff and their credentials, ask for a program schedule, how does the person answering the phone handle the call and don’t be afraid to ask for names of other professionals who have referred there.

It is important that a gay drug rehab be structured in a manner to minimize homophobia, prejudice and shame, all key elements of gay / lesbian recovery. If you are looking for a gay drug rehab, you can call Recovery Connection at 1-800-511-9225 and they can direct you to one.

Bookmark to:

For too many years gay and lesbian addict and alcoholics have had try their best to fit into a “straight” alcohol rehab. While many might say this is not a big deal, an addict is an addict, I wonder how a hetersexual might feel in a gay alcohol rehab?

While an alcohol rehab does not have to be entirely gay to provide quality and effective alcohol adiction treatment for the gay and lesbian, they do at a minimum have to have a storng focus on treating the gay population. That means specialty groups and educational classes to provide gays the opportunity to share safely regarding internalized homophobia, shame and past self destructive behavior. That is not easily done in a group or environment comprised of the same people responsible for creating judemental attitudes, homophobia, prejudice and discrimination.

To this end, if you are looking for a gay alcohol rehab or gay friendly alcohol rehab, try calling Recovery Connection and they can help you with your search.

Bookmark to:

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.

Bookmark to: