Addiction doesn’t discriminate. Although certain circumstances can increase your chances of developing a substance use disorder, such as having a family history of addiction or experiencing trauma, it can happen to anyone. Major life changes, recreational drug use, and negative emotions may lead to substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, even though drugs and alcohol create temporary euphoria, addiction changes your brain chemistry and can aggravate underlying medical and mental health conditions. If you’re a man struggling with addiction, a men’s addiction treatment center can help you overcome addiction for good.
Promises Behavioral Health offers addiction treatment centers that can support lasting, sustainable recovery. If you’re looking for a men’s addiction treatment program, reach out to our team today at 844.875.5609.
Understanding How Addiction Impacts Men
All psychoactive substances have the potential for abuse. 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 you with the support, understanding, and guidance you need in order to recover successfully.
Men are more likely than women to develop a substance abuse problem. In fact, nearly twice as many men attend substance abuse treatment programs than women. Men, however, find it more difficult to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in therapeutic environments. Men are more likely to abuse and use drugs to celebrate or to enhance positive emotions. Drug and alcohol use is more socially acceptable among men, especially in certain 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 your brain chemistry, specifically by creating neurotransmitter imbalances and reconditioning your brain’s pleasure and reward center. Drugs and alcohol force your 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 your substance of choice end, you are left with a depletion of neurotransmitters.
Because your brain associates drugs and alcohol with pleasure, it rewards your drug use and punishes abstinence. When you use drugs and alcohol, your brain rewards you with a rush of 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 that your brain associates with your substance of choice.
Addiction can also co-occur with mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. Substance abuse can worsen the symptoms of certain mental health conditions, and if your mental health condition is left untreated, it can put you at a greater risk for relapse.
How Men’s Addiction Treatment Centers Can Help
Men’s rehab centers focus on utilizing evidence-based and holistic treatments. Evidence-based treatments are therapies that have been 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 – This therapy helps men identify, challenge, and replace negative thoughts and beliefs with more positive ones.
- Group therapy – An important 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 the person struggling with addiction. Addiction counseling helps families heal from the damage caused by substance use disorders.
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 reach out to us online to learn more about our locations and our approach to treatment.