Addiction Treatment

Gay Friendly Addiction Treatment: What to Look For in a Quality Program

There are numerous kinds of addiction treatment, some which focus on dual diagnosis and others that may focus their attention on the gay and lesbian population, but there exists certain elements necessary to produce safe and effective treatment for these addictions. One of the most critical elements is whether or not treatment is custom designed to meet the individual's specific needs. Addiction treatment centers that are able to custom design their programs are flexible enough to adjust as the patient meets his or her goals and objectives. These are of the utmost importance, as this allows the patients to progress at their own pace and face their own unique set of challenges. The importance of custom–tailored treatment plans is that the primary challenge for many patients is not directly related to their drug addiction. Many individuals suffer from pre–existing psychiatric disorders which make the difficulties of rehabilitation even more complex.

Over the years, research among various addiction treatment providers has provided evidence that over 50% of individuals admitted into residential addiction facilities have co–existing psychiatric issues. These disorders may be bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder or depression. The treatment of these psychiatric disorders must be provided concurrently and integrated into the addiction treatment. This is commonly referred to as dual diagnosis treatment. Another issue to consider is the center's ability to provide treatment for outstanding or treatment–induced medical conditions. While in residential addiction treatment, the medical team can be presented with medical problems such as addiction detox symptoms, Hepatitis, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure or HIV – AIDS. The more competent the medical staff, the better the likelihood that these types of medical problems can be managed while the patient is undergoing treatment. It is important to communicate any medical or psychiatric needs to the addiction treatment staff prior to admission.

Two other aspects of addiction treatment you might want to consider are the credentials of the program's staff and the licenses of the treatment facility. The facility's staff should have, as a minimum, master's degrees from accredited colleges or be certified addiction professionals. The addiction treatment facility needs to be licensed by the state in which they provide their services and be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospital Organizations.

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Addiction Treatment Detox

Detox is required in almost every case where a person enters a residential rehabilitation program. The detox process should be located within the actual addiction treatment center and managed by an addictionologist, a physician specializing in addiction medicine. There are two goals in detox; the first is the effective management of addiction withdrawal symptoms and the second is to evaluate each person as to their need for residential addiction treatment. Keep in mind that detox is only the initial step towards recovery; it is not the only aspect of addiction treatment.

Medications Provided in Addiction Treatment

Medications are an important part of any addiction treatment program. Medication can be dispensed for the management of psychiatric disorders or withdrawal symptoms. All medications should only be dispensed after physicians have provided the patient with a thorough psychiatric or medical evaluation. While the medications administered for managing withdrawal symptoms are fast–acting, psychiatric medications will take a little longer before they are effective. During this time, you will be provided with continual support by the staff in the addiction treatment program.

Therapy in Addiction Treatment

Although every center providing addiction treatment is different, there are certain forms of therapy that should be provided. Common types of therapy practiced in the treatment of addictions include:

• Group Process Therapy
• Individual Counseling
• Experiential Group Therapy
• Specialized Groups (Gender Specific or GLBT Focused)
• Family Recovery Group (also for partners)
• Relapse Prevention
• Aftercare
• Holistic Addiction Treatment Services
• Addiction Treatment Detox

If you are gay, and you need addiction treatment, call us now at 1–800–231–1820. We specialize in providing addiction treatment for the gay man and woman.