Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows that members of the LGBTQ community face higher levels of violence, harassment, discrimination, and addiction. Getting help for addiction as an LGBTQ individual begins with finding an LGBTQ-friendly rehab in MS.
Woodland Recovery Center offers both inpatient and outpatient support for overcoming substance use disorder. We offer targeted programs designed to meet our patients’ unique needs — including an LGBTQ addiction program.
Call 662.222.2989 today to learn more about the addiction treatment programs at Woodland Recovery Center.
Top Reasons for Substance Abuse in the LGBTQ Community
LGBTQ individuals face unique challenges. Dealing with discrimination, stereotyping, harassment, and rejection is an unfortunate reality for many LGBTQ individuals.
Factors like these often have a significant negative impact on a person’s mental and emotional health. Many people turn to substances as a way of coping with challenging emotions and mental health concerns.
1. Social Stigma
The higher rate of addiction in the LGBTQ community is partially explained by the high rates of discrimination commonly experienced by LGBTQ individuals. Feeling safe and accepted are central elements of sound mental and emotional health.
When a sense of social acceptance is stripped away by judgments and microaggressions, it undermines an LGBTQ individual’s sense of belonging. Turning to drugs or alcohol can be a way to numb those feelings.
2. Family Issues
Relationships begin with the family. Acceptance, openness, vulnerability, and support are all first modeled by a person’s family relationships — or lack thereof. It’s a tragic reality that many members of the LGBTQ community are rejected by those who ought to show them the most love and support.
Learning to process and cope with family reactions over gender or sexuality is possible, but it’s a healing journey that often requires professional help.
Addiction in the LGBTQ community is often directly related to family relationships that create profound feelings of rejection, shame, or trauma over an individual’s identity.
3. Mental Health Concerns
Members of the LGBT community experience mental health disorders and conditions at a much higher level than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts.
The National Education Association reports that 42% of LGBTQ youth reported seriously considering suicide in 2021. This statistic stands in staggering comparison to the general population; according to the CDC, only 18.8% of teens had seriously considered suicide.
Substance abuse in the LGBTQ community often begins with mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide in the teenage years. Individuals turn to drugs or alcohol for a sense of relief, and it becomes easy to develop a substance use disorder.
How an LGBTQ Rehab Can Make a Difference
Substance use treatment is designed to help an individual identify the underlying causes that have led to substance use.
While some elements of addiction are impacted by a person’s genetics, understanding the social, environmental, mental, and emotional factors that contribute to the use of drugs or alcohol is essential for a treatment program to be effective.
An LGBTQ program addresses issues that other treatment programs may not. These often include:
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Gender identity and sexuality
- Family rejection
- Social stigma and ostracization
- Shame and trauma
In order for substance use treatment to be all-encompassing, thorough, and supportive, it’s crucial for LGBTQ individuals to seek out treatment programs designed to address their needs.
LGBTQ Recovery at Woodland Recovery Center
Woodland Recovery Center understands that understanding, compassion, and acceptance are required to build a lasting foundation for substance use recovery. Our LGBTQ addiction program connects members of the LGBTQ community to peers and informed staff in order to make treatment effective and lasting.
Call 662.222.2989 today or fill out our online form to learn more about the LGBTQ addiction treatment program at Woodland Recovery Center.
