Gay Men at Increased Risk for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism

Gay Men Appear at a Greater Risk for Drug Addiction and Alcoholism

According to research, it appears that gay men and women are at a greater risk of developing drug addiction or alcohol addiction than heterosexuals. Homosexuality is associated with issues such as internalized homophobia, shame, prejudice, discrimination, all fertile ground for the development of drug addiction or alcoholism. Different than most populations, all of the issues mentioned above, seem to be fostered within the family system and therefore are present from day one.

The Gay Family System and Drug Addiction

For a moment imagine being parents and waiting for the day your son or daughter announces the day of their wedding, only to find out they are gay / lesbian and that day will never take place or that they will never have children the conventional way. It is rare a family is accepting of the situation and offers encouragement. The day of "coming out" is usually met with shock, anger, disappointment, embarrassment or denial. In most cases, these emotions are presented in a less than productive manner creating deeper feelings of shame, resentment or depression on the part of the gay man or woman. When this occurs, what better way to cope than to turn to alcohol or drugs. This is generally the beginning of their drug addiction or alcoholism. The problem here is that it does nothing to change others beliefs or the way the gay man feels. Drug Addiction or alcoholism just turns an already complex situation into a more difficult one.

Mental Illness, Drug Addiction, Alcoholism, Dual Diagnosis and the Gay Man or Woman

When we research gay drug addiction, gay drug rehab, crystal meth addiction or gay alcoholism we find an increase in gay drug addiction or gay alcoholism across the board. When taking a look at gay drug addiction and gay drug rehab admissions, we have to take a look at associated mental health issues. It appears that the majority of gay men admitted to gay drug rehab suffer from a co- occurring mental health disorder such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder just to name a few. As with drug addiction or alcoholism this is easy to understand when one examines the challenges a gay man or woman has to face. Growing up in a predominantly heterosexual society with strong views on sexuality, homophobia is something a gay man or gay woman must face on a daily basis. When faced with constant difficulties relating to family, relationships, self worth, sexual identity anyone's mental health is sure to be challenged. When many gay men or women are faced with feelings of depression, they turn to drugs or alcohol which in most cases ends up in a drug addiction or alcohol addiction. This is referred to as dual diagnosis; a mental health disorder in conjunction with drug addiction or alcoholism.

Gay Drug Addiction and Gay Drug Rehab

While there has been an increase in drug addiction and alcoholism among gay men and women, the number of gay drug rehab programs has not increased at the same rate. Whether it is a gay drug rehab, gay addiction treatment program or gay component in a drug rehab, addiction treatment services for the gay and lesbian population need to become more available. If you are looking for a gay drug rehab or drug rehab with a gay component, you might want to look into www.lakeviewfreedomrings.com.