To counteract chemical dependency in the gay community, more and more mainstream rehab facilities now offer LGBT addiction treatment. It relies on a mix of evidence-based modalities and LGBT support groups. However, how can this treatment model help you today? Most importantly, what does it take to reach out for help?
Why Mainstream Rehab Used to be Problematic
Before the addition of gay-informed treatment methods, many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning people didn’t get help. They feared stigma. Besides that, they worried about discrimination. Furthermore, some treatments plainly didn’t speak to them.
Fast forward to today. The LGBT friendly treatment centers South Florida trusts emphasize specialized treatment for your unique needs. Because of the challenges that sexual and gender minorities face, you struggle with specific stressors. These call for individualized coping skills development.
How LGBT Support Groups Contribute to Recovery
Support groups provide peer assistance to various demographics within the community. Examples include teens and young adults, transgender people in transition, and individuals in problematic relationships. Some need help because of codependency issues. Others grapple with families who refuse to acknowledge partners and chosen families.
Gay support groups assist individuals with real-life problems that mainstream rehab doesn’t tackle. Case in point is the question of coming out at work. Peer support offers acceptance and positive reinforcement. Additionally, it allows for alternatives to chemical dependency.
Part of a Greater Treatment Model
Of course, LGBT support groups alone aren’t sufficient to overcome addiction. You need to add evidence-based treatments from a rehab facility. Examples include the following:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy to develop healthy coping skills that supplant dysfunctional patterns
- Dual diagnosis treatment for people with underlying anxiety or depression
- Trauma treatment, which helps you process memories as well as emotions from past experiences
- Talk therapy as a way to set goals, plan for lifelong sobriety, and boost your resolve to heal
- Relapse prevention training that includes help with challenges unique to the gay community
A high-quality LGBTQ substance abuse treatment center also offers targeted life skills training. You need to find new ways of structuring your day. Similarly, there’ll be social challenges within the community that you need to handle. This treatment provides you with the tools you need to tackle these issues head-on.
In many ways, this modality is part of relapse prevention training. Participants find ways to fill the daytime hours that they spent using. Besides that, they learn to handle peer pressure to return to drug abuse. Almost all program graduates have to face this challenge at some point in their sobriety.
How to Find the Right Center for Treatment
Look for facilities that specialize in LGBT-informed rehab. Most are mainstream centers that add this aspect of care. Talk with an intake counselor to get a better feel about the modalities. Next, let the staff handle the insurance verification.
Most facilities do so as a service to their incoming clients. Last but not least, check in and begin participating in LGBT support groups. Make the call today.
