Drug Addiction Treatment Blog

A gay drug treatment program is designed to create an environment that specifically caters directly to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. This can be very helpful for those who would feel less comfortable in other traditional drug treatment programs. What one can expect in gay drug treatment programs is an open and friendly environment. With a staff of professionals and a community of patients that have dealt with similar issues, these drug treatment programs can be very effective at turning the focus on the most important issue of all which is taking steps towards recovery of drug addiction.

These centers tend to have a focus much like other drug treatment programs in terms of medical and psychiatric treatment and clinical programs. They generally begin with some type of drug or alcohol detox where the individual discontinues their use of drugs or alcohol and provided with medication to assist in minimizing the symptoms associated with withdrawal.
After the detox phase of treatment is complete, everyone transitions to a more traditional drug treatment program. It is here they will begin to address their core issues and meet head on the very problems that have fed their drug addiction.
Finally, the program will tend to finish with some type of aftercare program which will usually consist of out-patient counseling sessions designed to help the individual avoid relapse.

As you can see, a gay drug treatment program is really not too much different than any other drug treatment programs. With that being said, many gay men and women prefer not to attend a “gay only drug treatment program. They state they want to attend a program that resembles the real world and treats them as equals.

If you fall into that category, you might want to look into the Freedom Rings program at www.gay-rehab.com or call 1-800-993-3869 and they direct you to it.

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Why Is the “Coming Out” Process Difficult for Some Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People?

For some gay and bisexual people the coming out process is difficult, for others it is not. Often lesbian, gay and bisexual people feel afraid, different, and alone when they first realize that their sexual orientation is different from the community norm. This is particularly true for people becoming aware of their gay, lesbian, or bisexual orientation as a child or adolescent, which is not uncommon. And, depending on their families and where they live, they may have to struggle against prejudice and misinformation about homosexuality. Children and adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of bias and stereotypes. They may also fear being rejected by family, friends,co-workers, and religious institutions. Some gay people have to worry about losing their jobs or being harassed at school if their sexual orientation became well known. Unfortunately, gay, lesbian and bisexual people are at a higher risk for physical assault and violence than are heterosexuals. Studies done in California in the mid 1990s showed that nearly one-fifth of all lesbians who took part in the study and more than one-fourth of all gay men who participated had been the victim of a hate crime based on their sexual orientation. In another California study of approximately 500 young adults, half of all the young men participating in the study admitted to some form of anti-gay aggression from name-calling to physical violence.

If you are looking for a gay friendly drug rehab go to www.gay-rehab.com

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Crystal Meth Addiction Still A Problem For Gay And Bisexual Men: Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Responds to Press Reports Downplaying Prevalence of Meth Use

SAN FRANCISCO (June 23, 2006)– The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) today expressed concern over recent media coverage of a study which downplays the extent of crystal methamphetamine use in the U.S.

A widely published June 14 Associated Press article reported on a recent study which found that 0.2% of Americans are regular users of crystal meth. The study, “The Next Big Thing? Crystal Meth amphetamine in the United States,” was carried out by the Washington, DC-based Sentencing Project. Neither the study nor media coverage about it addressed crystal- meth- amphetamine abuse by gay and bisexual men.

Studies have found that crystal- meth- amphetamine abuse use among gay and bisexual men is up to ten times higher than in the general population. A 2003 study by the Chicago Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that approximately 10% of gay men had used methamphetamine at least once in the previous year, compared with 0.7% of the general U.S. population. Of those gay men who reported using meth, 20% were using at least once per week. Another study found that 20% of young gay and bisexual men had used crystal meth in the previous six months, with 6% reporting daily use.

Crystal-Meth-amphetamine has also been linked to high risk sexual activity. A study conducted in 2000-01 by the University of California San Francisco AIDS Health Project, the CDC, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health found that gay men who used meth were three times as likely to contract HIV as non-meth users. Meth use has also been linked to a resurgence of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia infections.

“Crystal-Meth use among gay and bisexual men is a public health crisis, and media attention about crystal meth should reflect this,” said Joel Ginsberg, GLMA’s Executive Director. “HIV/AIDS didn’t get the attention it deserved early on in part because many people felt it wasn’t their problem. The result was a huge amount of avoidable suffering and expense. We can’t make that mistake again.”

If you are looking for a gay friendly drug rehab or gay friendly alcohol rehab which can effectively treat crystal meth addiction go to, www.gay-rehab.com

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GLBT Issues Regarding Addiction Treatment

Problems with drug addiction and alcoholism are from a combination of personal, relational and societal pressures. For lesbian, gays and bisexuals who live outside of the heterosexual norm, these pressures may be even greater.

There are dinctive risks that the gay, lesbian bisexual encounter due to their sexual preference. Some of these risks can be:

* using alcohol or drugs to ease and enjoy sex
* internalizing homophobic attitudes which lower self esteem and produce shame
* relying on the bar scene to develop their social network

It is well documented that gay and lesbian drug addiction is much higher than their heterosexual counterparts. The blessing is that their are now gay addiction treatment programs, lesbian alcohol treatment programs and gay and lesbian drug rehabs which allow this population the same comfortability in addiction treatment as any heterosexual.

If you are seeking a gay friendly drug rehab, gay friendly alcohol rehab or gay detox call Recovery Connection at 1-800-511-9225 for a referral in your area..

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