Men who are in treatment for alcohol and drug addiction have different needs than female clients. If they have grown up with the expectation, either implied or stated directly, that being a “real” man means being strong and in control at all times, they may have started experimenting with substances as a way to anesthetize themselves to avoid feeling (and expressing) strong emotions.
The idea is that no one should ever catch a man feeling anything that remotely resembles pain, either physical or emotional. Denial is an effective coping mechanism for dealing with pain in this instance. Later on, when the addiction starts, denial serves the addict as well. It is used to deflect attention away from the real problem. 
No Room for Denial at a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center
Once a man is admitted to an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, he can no longer rely on the coping skills he has used in his everyday life to deal with his addiction. It will be uncomfortable, and perhaps a bit scary, but he will need to walk the road of recovery and show his vulnerability to the other clients who are staying at the facility.
The good news is that everyone staying at the drug abuse treatment center is going through a similar experience. Learning to stop and listen to the pain, to turn toward it, rather than running from it, takes tremendous strength. Part of the treatment plan is to learn how to develop new coping skills to deal with situations as they arise, as opposed to looking for a way to “check out” by using drugs or alcohol.
To find out more about the treatment plans offered by the Men’s Drug and Alcohol Dual Diagnosis Addiction Treatment Center, call us at 888-997-5742.
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