Addiction doesn’t have a single solution. Everyone is unique. You have your own set of beliefs and needs. And sometimes, these needs are tied to their own gender identity. While some people may do well in a coed setting, others will thrive in a facility that takes a gendered approach. So before you enroll in a program, you must consider your own needs and explore gendered vs. coed rehab. Either way, admission into a residential treatment program in Laguna Beach, CA is the first step towards recovery.

Gendered vs. Coed Rehab: What’s the Difference?

As the name implies, in a gendered rehab program, the facility separates the men and women. The reasons for this are that men and women are often different in several aspects of addiction, including:

How they started using
Why and how they use
Motivations for stopping
Types of trauma they’ve experienced
World views and feeling toward the “opposite sex”
What keeps them from relapsing

In coed rehab, the men and women are together most of the time. They often live and eat in the same areas while attending the same group therapy sessions and activities. Most addiction treatment programs are coed. But understanding gendered vs. coed rehab goes beyond just knowing what they are. Let’s look at the benefits of gendered vs. coed rehab.

Gendered Rehab Benefits

What are the benefits of gendered rehab? Many people–both men and women–don’t feel comfortable sharing personal information in a mixed crowd, especially if that information relates to traumas concerning the “opposite sex.” Additionally, men and women face different challenges. For example, a woman may need to consider how her drug use may impact a pregnancy. This isn’t something men have to deal with directly.

Likewise, even in modern society, men are more likely to have been incarcerated and to be financially responsible for a family. At the same time, a woman may be financially-dependent on someone abusive. That person may even be addicted to drugs themselves.

Of course, these are generalizations. But they do represent the reality that many men and women face. Because gendered rehab takes place with only one gender, more time can be spent working through the challenges that are more likely to face that gender. And deeper healing may, therefore, occur.

Coed Rehab Benefits

The other school of thought is that coed is better in the discussion about gendered vs. coed rehab. That’s because life isn’t gendered. You will be around both men and women. Sometimes it may be uncomfortable. The coed experience allows you to work through the discomfort and find commonalities in all people.

Also, you may have triggers related to the opposite sex that you need to work through as part of your recovery. Being in a coed setting allows you to start working through some of these issues in a safe and controlled environment. Finally, if you don’t identify strongly at one or the other end of the gender spectrum, you may feel more comfortable in a mixed group where the energy is neither strongly masculine nor feminine.

Exploring Rehab Options For Yourself

This is a very personal decision. You should consider where you think you’ll do best during recovery. There’s no one right solution. At Oceanfront Recovery, we build our men’s and women’s rehab programs around the unique trials that each gender faces to help both men and women find lasting healing in recovery. You’ll get the precise care you need in our many treatment programs, including:

Is addiction stealing your health and happiness? It’s time for a new start and long-term success in recovery. To learn more, give us a call at 877.279.1777.