Meth Addiction Recovery for the LGBTQ community

Crystal meth addiction has plagued the LGBTQ community for several decades. Having mostly affected gay men and transgender women, the crisis surrounding the growing number of LGBT folks involved is often overlooked by mainstream treatment facilities. At Inspire Recovery where crystal meth is our drug of choice we specialize in meth addiction recovery for the LGBTQ community.

We’ll be going through how LGBTQ patients can find success in treating their meth addiction through specialized treatments:

Meth Addiction in the LGBTQ community

Known to be a party drug, meth is often used by young queer adults and teens as a stimulant.

The drug is also commonly used as an aphrodisiac for men and trans women participating in chemsex (a sexual practice that involves using drugs while engaging in sexual activity.)

Many LGBTQ addicts turn to meth to self-medicate or distract themselves from their own personal issues. When trying to understand how to treat a queer person with an addiction, there are often far more layers to their recovery process that need to be addressed compared to a cisgender and/or heterosexual person. LGBT people are more likely to develop serious mental health issues due to their own unique experience living as a queer person in a heteronormative society. Because of this, LGBT patients are less likely to reach their recovery goals if these issues aren’t properly dealt with.

How do you treat a Meth addiction in the LGBTQ community? 

The only way a meth addiction can be treated is through therapy and a recovery program. An addiction to meth can only be treated if the person is willing to seek professional help. For LGBTQ addicts, the decision to not seek help is sometimes due to the lack of specific treatments which can accommodate to their sexual and/or gender identity.

When addicts are admitted into rehabilitation, they are usually assessed and treated for a co-occurring disorder. This can generally be a psychological or emotional disorder, such as depression and anxiety. For members of the LGBTQ community, a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that LGBTQ addicts were more likely to be diagnosed with a co-occurring disorder while in treatment. LGBT folks are often more likely to suffer severe mental health issues because of discrimination, oppression and shame for their sexual and/or gender identity.

Specialized treatment for meth addicts in the LGBT community 

When it comes to treating queer and trans folks for their addiction, it’s important that their experience as a gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender person is taken into consideration when going through therapy. Moreover, it is crucial that their identity is validated and free to express, especially when they go through the more challenging parts of their recovery. This will often require specially trained therapists and staff members who are fully equipped with the knowledge of the queer experience.

According to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, queer patients who went through specialized treatment were more likely to experience long term recovery from their addiction than those who did not. As of 2020, only 7.4% of recovery programs in the United States offer specialized treatment for LGBT patients.

As an LGBT treatment center, our mission here at Inspire Recovery is to provide a safe and affirming space for our LGBT patients going through meth addiction treatment. For more information about our programs, call us today on 561-899-6088 for a free consultation.