Addiction doesn’t discriminate. Although specific circumstances can increase a person’s chances of developing a substance use disorder, such as having a family history of addiction or experiencing trauma, it can happen to anyone, including men. Major life changes, recreational drug use, and negative emotions may cause men to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately, even though drugs and alcohol create temporary euphoria, they change your brain chemistry and can aggravate underlying medical and mental health conditions. If you’re struggling with addiction, a men’s addiction treatment center can help you recover.
Promises Behavioral Health offers addiction treatment programs that can support lasting, sustainable recovery. If you’re looking for a men’s addiction treatment center, contact our team today at 844.875.5609.
How Addiction Impacts Men
All psychoactive substances have the potential for misuse. Even legal substances, like alcohol, can cause physical dependence. Once you are physically or psychologically dependent on drugs and alcohol, it takes time to recover fully. Men’s addiction treatment centers specialize in helping you overcome addiction. They provide the support, understanding, and guidance you need to recover successfully.
Men are more likely than women to develop substance use disorders. Nearly twice as many men attend addiction treatment programs compared to women. However, men find it more difficult to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in therapeutic environments. They are more likely to use drugs to celebrate or to enhance positive emotions. Drug and alcohol use is also more socially acceptable among men, especially in specific environments like:
- College parties
- Networking events
- Sports events
- Concerts
- Weddings and bachelor parties
A men’s addiction treatment program can help you overcome the underlying issues contributing to your substance use disorder. Our addiction treatment centers offer comprehensive care for men of all ages and backgrounds, and our team of experienced professionals is here to provide you with compassionate support.
How Addiction Develops
Addiction changes brain chemistry by creating neurotransmitter imbalances and reconditioning the brain’s pleasure and reward center. Drugs and alcohol force the brain to release more neurotransmitters than it should. Neurotransmitters like GABA, dopamine, and serotonin create the euphoric feelings and emotions associated with intoxication. Unfortunately, when the effects of a substance wear off, you are left with a depletion of neurotransmitters.
Because the brain associates drugs and alcohol with pleasure, it rewards drug use and punishes abstinence. When you use drugs and alcohol, your brain rewards you with neurotransmitters. When you don’t use drugs or alcohol, your brain restricts the release of neurotransmitters, which causes intense cravings and depressed moods. You can have cravings whenever you are exposed to triggers, which can be people, places, or things your brain associates with using a substance.
Addiction can also co-occur with mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. Substance use can worsen the symptoms of certain mental health conditions and if left untreated can put you at a greater risk for relapse.
How a Men’s Addiction Treatment Center Can Help
Men’s rehab centers focus on utilizing evidence-based and holistic treatments. Evidence-based treatments are therapies proven to be effective in past patients following extensive research and studies.
Some of the most common evidence-based treatments used by men’s addiction treatment centers include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – This therapy helps men identify, challenge, and replace negative thoughts and beliefs with more positive ones.
- Group therapy – An essential part of addiction treatment is social connection and support. Group therapy helps men understand they are not alone in their recovery journey.
- Family therapy – Addiction affects the entire family, not just those struggling with a substance use disorder. Addiction counseling helps families heal from the damage caused by substance misuse.
Men’s addiction treatment centers also work to develop an individualized discharge and aftercare plan to ensure you are connected with additional support systems following treatment. Outpatient programs often provide step-down care following inpatient treatment. Another useful aftercare resource is community-based peer support groups like AA, NA, and SMART Recovery.
Find Help Today from Promises Behavioral Health
If you are trapped in addiction, you may feel your life has spiraled out of control. But you don’t have to suffer in silence. Reach out to our team at Promises Behavioral Health for a men’s addiction treatment program and get back on the road to recovery. Contact us today at 844.875.5609 or contact us online to learn more about our locations and our approach to treatment.