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Gender-Specific Treatment
- Written by
- The Northern Illinois Editorial Staff
- Updated on
- 9/11/26
Men and women face equal risks from substance abuse. But the road leading to addiction and how it is treated can be very different depending on your gender. That’s why many rehab/recovery centers offer programs for gender-specific treatment. Finding the right addiction treatment services is the first step in getting the support necessary to heal. For some, this means working alongside gender peers rather than in coed rehab programs.
In gender-specific treatment, men and women segregate themselves to work through the individual challenges in treatment. The idea behind the gender-specific treatment is to create environments in men’s treatment to work on men’s issues and women’s treatment to work on women’s issues. Whether you live in Illinois or other states, gender-specific treatment may be the right way to move forward as you deal with substance abuse.
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How Addiction Affects Men and Women Differently
Studies have proven that drug and alcohol use influences men and women in various ways, ranging from how and why substance use is initiated to how it escalates.
Men and women see marked differences in the drugs used, how quickly they become addicted, and how they process and respond to the withdrawal stage.
Men, for instance, turn to substance abuse at a high rate through peer pressure, while women face challenges from the roles they are asked to play in society — mother, daughter, professional, and beyond. Women may be more likely to self-medicate than men.
Gender-specific treatment acknowledges those differences. Men’s treatment and women’s treatment programs allow the genders to focus on the matters that are important and relevant to them. Yet, in both programs, individuals can take advantage of the same high-quality therapeutic options. Some of the therapies we offer across our programs include:
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Individual therapy
Group therapy
Family therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy
Trauma therapy
Benefits of Gender-Specific Treatment
None of this is to suggest that co-ed treatment cannot be effective. It can. It’s just that gender-specific treatment has notable benefits. Some of them include:
Greater efficiency.
Counselors can choose topics relevant to men’s treatment or women’s treatment. In co-ed groups, some issues may only be relevant to one gender or the other, leaving some out of the discussion.Stronger interpersonal relationships.
Some issues unique to men or women are difficult to discuss in a mixed group. For instance, drug use can create sexual dysfunction for men at a high rate. Discussing that in a co-ed audience may be embarrassing.Reduced tensions.
Men and women can bring out the best in each other; sometimes, they can also bring out the worst. Competing with a member of the opposite sex to be heard and understood, or just being judged, can serve as an obstacle.
Gender-specific treatment is effective in helping men and women find their way through recovery.
Our approach to client care encompasses mind, body, and spirit as a unified whole.
Feel free to contact us if you require any further information about our services
The Treatment Process
The phases of treatment remain the same, whether you’re a man or a woman. These are based on many decades of research and have helped millions of people. Here’s what to expect, no matter your gender:
Intake.
Doctors and counselors conduct a thorough medical and psychological assessment to set a baseline for treatment.
Planning.
The assessment leads to a plan that will guide your treatment.
Treatment success depends on flushing drugs or alcohol out of your system; during detox, you will be medically supervised through the withdrawal phase.
Counseling.
Both in one-on-one and group therapy, you will understand the dynamics of your situation and build coping skills.
Aftercare.
Relapse following treatment is common. Aftercare involves ongoing counseling, peer support, and lifestyle change to reduce the risks.
Whether men’s treatment, women’s treatment, co-ed, or Illinois or some other state, following these phases provides a path to recovery.
Northern Illinois Recovery Center and Gender-Specific Treatment
Men and women face different challenges in recovery from substance abuse. They also face different factors that lead to substance abuse in the first place—gender-specific treatment forums to help men and women to work through their problems. At Northern Illinois Recovery Center, we offer men’s and women’s treatment, among numerous other services. Focusing on the latest evidence-based care, we provide the resources and support you need to walk down the right road. Our staff of clinical specialists focuses on you as an individual. Make a move to a better tomorrow. Call Northern Illinois Recovery Center at 855.786.1978 today for an initial consultation.
