Last Drug News, Drug Articles, Information About Drugs..

Gay, Lesbian Needs for Substance Abuse Treatment

People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) represent a substantial minority of the U.S. population, yet pervasive prejudice and stigma often inhibit the development and provision of appropriate drug rehab and dual diagnosis services for them. This article provides basic information regarding common drug rehab and dual diagnosis concerns of GLBT persons to aid in the development of culturally competent mental health services.

Gay, Lesbian Substance Abuse Issues Research findings vary on rates of alcohol abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction and drug abuse among lesbians and gay men, but experts maintain that drug and alcohol abuse are significant health and mental health concerns for sexual minorities. One study found that lesbians and gay men were twice as likely to be moderate drinkers, but about equally as likely to be heavy drinkers, as heterosexuals. Experts note the likelihood of a link between internalized homophobia, low self-esteem, ongoing discrimination and alcohol abuse and drug abuse. GLBT who seek addiction treatment for substance abuse problems may encounter barriers to addiction treatment in unsupportive service settings. This is the reason for the need of gay friendly drug rehab programs and gay friendly alcohol rehab programs.

Tags: addiction, addiction treatment, alcohol abuse, alcohol rehab, alcohol rehab program, alcoholism, drug abuse, drug addiction, drug rehab, drug rehab program, drug rehab programs, dual diagnosis, gay rehab, mental health, recovery, rehab, rehab programs, substance abuse, substance abuse problems, treatment