Co-ed versus Gender-Specific Rehabs… Are You Looking For the Right Type of Rehab Center?

Are You Looking For the Right Type of Rehab Center?

In this day and age, where the opioid crisis is hitting all-time highs, it is important that you are searching for the right type of substance abuse treatment for you or your loved ones. One of the biggest debates is whether co-ed or gender-specific programs are producing better outcomes for the patients.

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Substance abuse treatment works differently for different people, and in a world where there are treatment centers everywhere, it is important to look for qualities that are going to be the most beneficial for you or your loved one.

So you made the decision to start treatment?

There are many things that a person may want to consider once they have made the decision to finally take the leap and sign up for a rehab or treatment center. They have to consider whether they want:

  • Inpatient vs Outpatient treatments
  • Instate vs Out of State rehab
  • Nonprofit vs For Profit programs

One factor that is starting to gain traction and should also be taken into consideration is whether or not you would like a co-ed or gender-specific rehab.

Gender-specific treatment is an increasingly important element for many individuals. Traditional 12-step advice is to avoid romantic relationships for a year once entering into recovery.

Gender-specific programs allow for an environment free of the normal distractions that come with co-ed groups, especially when you’re living near or spending all day with a group of people.

With so many options that people have today, it may make it hard to narrow down the specifics of what would work best for you.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with questions, and sometimes answers are hard to find. Especially when you are considering gender specific rehab, as not many centers are talking about it yet.

So you may ask yourself…

What benefits are there for a gender-specific rehab?

Addiction treatment research has found that there are often several situations in which seeking out gender-specific treatment centers could be beneficial to the client.

The factors below need to be taken into consideration:

  • Men have different risk factors that make them prone to drug abuse.
  • Men have unique protective factors that can help them fight addiction.
  • Certain approaches to treatment are more effective in men versus women.
  • Women and men have different reasons for relapsing and dropping out of treatment.

This also allows for a more tailored approach for each clients treatment.

When Men have separate facilities, addiction treatment centers can focus on each genders’ immediate needs and effective approaches as well as better aftercare with a focus on not relapsing.

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Men face different issues with recovery

Knowing that Men have different needs and respond differently to addiction treatment methods and recovery processes are only one part of the issue that lies between the co-ed versus the gender-specific treatments.

There are also various socio-economic and biological reasons that Men do better apart. They are…

  • Many females are not financially independent
  • Men are usually motivated to join a program so they won’t lose their jobs, while women usually seek treatment to not lose custody of their children
  • Women are more likely to have been the victims of sexual trauma and/or abuse, and therefore have specific therapy needs
  • Female specific rehabs have experience with women’s’ issues and often provide daycare
  • There is less risk of complications and distractions as a result of romantic interest between heterosexual individuals

Anyone of these areas of concern may push either a man or a woman to seek out a gender-specific rehab facility.

However, there are arguments to be made in favor of co-ed facilities.

Many may wonder…

Concerns about gender-specific treatment centers

Just like a gender-specific facility may work better for one person there are also arguments to made for co-ed treatment centers. When looking at a gender-specific treatment center, many clients worry:

  • Will lack of diversity harm the recovery process?
  • How will I develop healthy relationships with the opposite sex once I am finished with treatment?
  • Will a gender-specific rehab prepare me for the real world?

Above are concerns that a co-ed treatment center would do a better job of addressing.

People entering treatment come from varied backgrounds and attend for various reasons, so knowing the questions to ask yourself will garner yourself a better experience.

Pros of co-ed treatment facilities

There are several pros to working within a co-ed treatment facility.

Isolation from the opposite sex does not benefit everyone.

With a larger group of people consisting of both Men, clients have the ability to learn more in group because they get to hear a wide range of experiences.

And by learning to function side-by-side in group, they can rid themselves of the negative connotations that they associate with the opposite sex.

Learning to function in co-ed situations is beneficial to many people. Many Men realize that they share many of the same fears and face similar challenges.

This leads to respect between genders that is almost familial.

Co-ed treatment facilities are also much more common and can often offer a broader range of services.

Co-ed treatment facilities can also benefit certain demographics. You may wonder…

Does treatment vary for certain demographics?

Co-ed rehabs seem to offer the most benefits for adolescents that are starting to learn to navigate around social surroundings.

The co-ed rehabs offer guidance on how to interact with members of the opposite sex and how to navigate the future, a feature that is often lacking in gender-specific facilities.

Teens in a gender-specific model of treatment usually perform better in the short run, as they are able to focus solely on their rehabilitation without any distractions.

In the long run, however, a co-ed treatment plan is often recommended.

As Alonso Dominguez, the executive director at Echo Malibu, explains,

“A major part of adolescence revolves around socialization and individuation. Developing one’s identity often occurs through social groups. Having youth attend co-ed treatment offers them a rare opportunity to develop authentic emotional and communication skills that in turn build healthier intimacy with others, regardless of their gender.”

This can be beneficial to other demographic groups as well.

Many people that find themselves needing addiction treatment also have difficulties navigating social surroundings.

Learning from the most basic level how to interact with the opposite sex can help people in recovery maintain a sense of normality once they are back out in the “real world”.

In short, joining a co-ed treatment program means patients will have one less life factor to readjust to, as they will not have to get used to being around the opposite sex again after a long time apart.

Seeking treatment

There are pros and cons to both co-ed and gender-specific treatment centers. Not all treatments work the same for individuals. However, no matter the center you decide upon they should all offer personalized care, medical support, and long-term follow-up, just to name a few.

At Serenity, we have taken the gender-specific route providing treatment for male clients only and have seen great success with our clients. They are offered a variety of treatments, in a remote mountain setting.

With none of the pressures that they would face at home, and with the feeling of safety they get from being around other men that are facing the same issues and difficulties, they are able to focus on just their recovery.

In addition to our lovely, remote facility and top of the line faculty that is there to actually listen and offer support, we also offer a wide range of services that include

  • Dual diagnosis treatments
  • A 12-step program
  • A drug rehab program
  • Substance abuse treatment
  • Residential inpatient treatment
  • Intensive outpatient program
  • A partial hospitalization program

If you find yourself in need of a gender-specific treatment facility, please reach out to us at:

https://www.serenitylodgelakearrowhead.com/?fbclid=IwAR0JC9maKkbFdcNOV24iDrrwM70A1RqAxIM6T2Ug92xc2kXNxyL1LcV9D_c

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