When offering personalized care for addiction treatment, it’s important to factor in everything that makes a person who they are. By leaning into the strengths and attributes of each of our patients, we’re able to provide the full benefits of therapy. Part of that is understanding how men and women can be impacted differently by substance abuse. Men differ in how they deal with sources of stress or mental illness than women, which means addressing addiction rooted in either has to be different, too.
At Greater Boston Addiction Centers, our goal is to help clients self-examine and uncover the roots of their addiction. Taking the whole self into account, and conversing with others with similar life experiences, is what our men’s addiction treatment center is all about. Finding a program that emphasizes addiction treatment for men is one phone call away. Reach us at 877.920.6583 today to learn more about the benefits of gender-specific treatment options.
Different Ways Men and Women are Affected by Substance Abuse
One of the most common substance use disorders is excessive alcohol use. Specifically, binge drinking is more popular among men. Binge drinking is the quickest, most efficient way to induce the damaging effects of alcohol consumption. By repeatedly drinking more than the body is capable of metabolizing, binge drinkers will burn through their livers and other organs faster than those who consume the same amount of alcohol in moderation.
The reason binge drinking is more common in men has to do with biological tendencies and the way alcohol metabolizes. Alcohol, when consumed, occupies the same space as body water and blood. Since men have a lower ratio of body water to body weight, they tend to metabolize alcohol more efficiently. Having a higher tolerance for alcohol, men often drink more than women and are consequently more prone to forming an addiction.
Binge drinking is only an example of how men tend to abuse substances in heavier quantities. Women are of a similar likelihood to form an addiction as men, but males often escalate their substance usage faster and to a higher degree. This poses an additional health risk to men, as heavier drug usage makes addiction more severe and more readily leads to overdose.
The Importance of Men’s Rehab Programs
The biology of men versus women isn’t the only factor in why addiction works in such different ways. In addition to substance abuse being more prevalent, the social experience of being a man makes a world of difference in the role substance abuse can play in one’s life. For instance, substance abuse is often a response to another problem. In many cases, that’s anxiety, depression, or some other form of mental illness. Since men are so often expected to deal with their emotions privately, it’s common for men to self-medicate through drug or alcohol use.
Find Addiction Treatment for Men at Greater Boston Addiction Centers
The greatest strength of men’s rehab is its focus on breaking that stigma and introducing men to an avenue for communicating their internal struggles. Opening up to other men about substance abuse is extremely proficient in helping clients understand their own addiction and see how others in similar situations handle their own.
At Greater Boston Addiction Centers, our gender-specific addiction treatment is compatible with any of our other substance use disorder treatments, including those for:
- Meth addiction
- Cocaine addiction
- Marijuana addiction
- Alcohol addiction
- Opioid addiction
- Prescription drug addiction
Call the team at Greater Boston Addiction Centers today at 877.920.6583, and learn more about why addiction treatment for men can make a life-changing impact for you, a male friend, or a family member. You can also fill out our online contact form and let us get back to you.
