Society has come a long way in accepting and inclusion of people who identify as LGBTQIA+. Nonetheless, not all pockets of society are equally accepting and affirming. That remains true of addiction treatment providers as well. Some do an exceptional job at providing LGBTQIA+ friendly addiction recovery support, while others remain more hostile to treating people who identify outside of traditional sexuality norms. If you or someone you love identifies as LGBTQIA+ and needs addiction treatment, finding the right rehab program can make all the difference in their recovery journey. Discover how Vertava Health is structured to offer LGBTQ-friendly rehab when you call 844.470.0410.
How to Find LGBTQIA+ Friendly Addiction Recovery Support
Many people in the LGBTQIA+ community hesitate to seek treatment. Even when they know they require addiction treatment, their fear of judgment and discrimination from healthcare providers, family members, and society, in general, can hold them back. Too often, LGBTQIA+ folks have been treated poorly by healthcare providers. They may expect addiction treatment to be no different. If they won’t be respected and valued as fully human, how could treatment ever be successful, let alone something they would actively seek out?
On a more positive note, many addiction treatment providers spend considerable time and energy addressing these sources of hesitation. They proudly welcome people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Treatment may even be designed with their unique needs in mind. Many online resources and websites offer searchable databases that can be filtered to show only rehab centers that provide LGBTQIA+ friendly addiction recovery support.
Another way of finding affirming recovery services is to look through rehab provider websites. LGBTQIA+ friendly addiction recovery support providers will often make things clear in the way they discuss their services and programming. Sometimes, the best, most transparent information comes from a quick phone call. Ask them straightforward questions to figure out if they understand common sensitivities and facts like:
- Managing hormonal treatments during rehab
- Unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth
- Mistrust of healthcare providers, particularly among people who identify as transgender
- The prevalence of alcohol abuse and binge drinking among women in the LGBTQIA+ community
- The higher rates of marijuana use among men in the LGBTQIA+ community
The Importance of Finding an LGBTQ-Friendly Rehab
More and more addiction treatment providers are offering services specifically designed to address addiction within the LGBTQIA+ community. The unfortunate reality is that people who identify as LGBTQIA+ struggle with addiction at nearly twice the general population’s rate. Their vulnerability to addiction is explainable for many reasons. Some important factors include their experiences with:
- Discrimination
- Stigma
- Higher rates of mental health disorders
- Family rejection
- Job loss or loss of child custody because of their sexual identity
- Violence or trauma related to their sexual orientation
LGBTQ-friendly rehab providers structure treatment with those challenges in mind. The support they provide is also geared toward the societal and personal issues faced by the LGBTQIA+ community. Addiction rehab services and therapies can help people manage any discrimination they face and deal with mental health issues specifically related to their gender or sexual identity. They’ll also learn how to handle peer pressure effectively and navigate coming out and self-acceptance.
Treatment designed to accommodate co-occurring disorders is another facet of LGBTQ-friendly rehab. Co-occurring disorders are when a person struggles with a mental health disorder and an addiction at the same time. Meeting recovery goals depends on dealing with both issues simultaneously rather than ignoring one until enough progress is made elsewhere.
Discover LGBTQ-Friendly Rehab at Vertava Health
Vertava Health is proud to offer LGBTQIA+ inclusive and affirming addiction rehab services. We understand the unique challenges that the LGBTQIA+ community faces in addiction and have designed our rehab services in response to them. Learn more about overcoming addiction with Vertava Health when you call 844.470.0410.
