Substance Abuse Support for the LGBTQ Community 🏳️‍🌈

Rates of substance abuse and addiction are higher among people on the LGBTQ spectrum than in other sectors of society. Thankfully, there are a number of facilities that offer services that are customized to meet the very special challenges people in this demographic face as they attempt to get sober.

I want to help offer assistance and help your loved one find issues of abuse, trauma, stigmatization, violence, and harassment. They also connect people with peers who can understand them intimately. For years now, it has been increasingly acknowledged that the incidence of substance abuse and addiction is higher among people who self-identify as homosexual, bisexual, transgendered, or somewhere else on the gender or sexuality spectrum (LGBTQ).

This is confirmed by research reviews, such as one included in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, that highlight research demonstrating that LGBTQ persons are at higher risk of alcohol and drug abuse than the general population. The issues that stem from this can be compounded by the fact that members of the LGBTQ community have historically had challenges in getting the healthcare they need without judgment or bias, including in the area of substance abuse and addiction treatment.

However, over the course of the last few decades, there has been a shift in perceptions and attitudes toward people who identify as LGBTQ, which have made it easier to get the health treatment they need. A treatment center that is LGBTQ-friendly will recognize the above factors and implement the concepts in their practices. Through doing so, these treatment centers may develop more effective protocols to address several LGBTQ-specific issues, including the following reported in a research review on LGBTQ substance abuse by the Butler Center for Research: The higher incidence of illicit drug abuse and addiction for gay men The prevalence of alcohol addiction and binge drinking for lesbian women The isolation that bisexual individuals may feel from both heterosexual and homosexual communities

The mistrust of healthcare providers that can run high in the transgendered community How to manage the use of hormonal treatments during rehab therapies The emotional and physical challenges faced by younger people who identify as LGBTQ These are just some of the practical needs that are important for a treatment center to be aware of in treating individuals who identify as LGBTQ, and what those who are seeking treatment may look for in a rehab program. Get help for addiction with the help of Marc Kantor, Certified Intervention Professional. Visit southfloridaintervention.com to learn more about how Marc helps families in South Florida communities find a treatment center, negotiate treatment center admission fees, planning and guiding the addiction intervention, and transporting their loved one into treatment.