Drug Addiction in the GLBT Community
 

GLBT sexual orientation doesn’t cause drug addiction, but it’s a major life issue that’s tough to ignore by either therapist or client in the addiction recovery process.  Although sexual orientation isn’t a factor in all cases of drug addiction among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals, it’s often an underlying factor in drug addiction, alcoholism, or tobacco dependency, as well as in process addictions such as compulsive spending or gambling. Sexual orientation clearly doesn’t cause drug addiction; however, experts suggest it may increase the vulnerability of individuals who are already predisposed to drug addiction. 

According to Joe Amico, MDiv, CSAS, CAS, president of the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Addiction Professionals and community educator for a gay and lesbian addiction treatment program, research points to a rate of addiction to drugs and alcohol three times higher in the GLBT community than in the general population (Amico and Nelson, 1997; Hellman, 1989). Addiction, explains Philip T. McCabe, CSW, CAS, mental health consultant in the Tobacco Dependence Program of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) School of Public Health, is usually an acquired state by a predisposed person over a period of time. “If you have a person who’s biologically predisposed to an addiction, it doesn’t matter if they’re straight or gay,” he says. The increased risk, McCabe says, may be attributed to environmental and situational triggers, as well as to the social and emotional stressors linked to being homosexual in a heterosexist society. Similarly, while treatment and recovery issues may be the same for GLBT individuals as their straight counterparts, sexual orientation may influence therapeutic needs and outcomes. Stress and Shame
Drug addiction, alcohol dependency, and tobacco dependency are more common among those attempting to avoid painful situations, says McCabe. “We do know from a mental health perspective that people who are not ‘out’ are more prone to depression, and people who are more prone to depression use substances to alleviate or self-medicate.” On the other hand, he notes, the coming-out process itself can be stressful, and individuals at various stages in that process may self-medicate as a coping strategy to deal with isolation or shame. “Nothing drives drug addiction and alcohol addiction like shame,” says Amico, who notes that in a heterosexist society, people grow up with the shame of not being what’s expected of them by their parents, family, and friends. As evidence, he points to statistics indicating that the highest percentage of teenagers who actually attempt or commit suicide are those struggling with sexual orientation issues. 

 Internalized homophobia, says Annmarie Agosta, MSW, LCSW, a private practitioner in Somerset, NJ, is so pervasive and difficult to work through that many individuals choose to self-medicate and numb their feelings so they don’t have to think about it. She says that those who are aware of their sexual identity at a very early age tend to have a great deal more internalized homophobia than those who come to this understanding later in life. “As they’re growing up, they’re more susceptible when they hear negative comments or hate words from people around them that they care about,” says Agosta. As their identities are being formed, she says, they may feel that because people around them are saying horrible things about them, there’s something intrinsically wrong with them. Adults who come out later in life, says Agosta, “already have an idea about who they are and where they stand in the world.” A therapist who works primarily with the GLBT community, acknowledges that shame may play some role, but he questions the emphasis that’s frequently placed on it. “It’s dangerous when we go down that route because not everyone has shame,” he says. “People are quick to jump on the internalized heterosexism bandwagon, but a lot of GLBT people who have problems with addictions are perfectly fine with their sexuality. I don’t want to say it’s not a problem for people, but I think it’s dangerous when we automatically assume that it’s a problem. There may be issues with sexuality that create struggles, but it’s not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship.”

If you are looking for a gay friendly addiction treatment program you can try either www.gay-rehab.com or www.lakeviewhealth.com. Addictional information on gay drug rehab programs can be found by calling 1-800-511-9225, a national addiction treatment helpline.