Substance abuse treatment for LGBT individuals is the same as that for other individuals and primarily focuses on stopping the substance abuse that interferes with the well-being of the client. However, some LGBT clients will need to address their feelings about their sexual orientation and gender identity as part of their recovery process. For some LGBT clients, this will include addressing the effects of internalized homophobia. Clinicians sometimes see relapses in LGBT persons with lingering negative feelings about their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Substance use, especially alcohol use, is woven into the fabric of the lives of many LGBT individuals. The greater use and presence of alcohol and drugs in settings where LGBT people socialize (in conjunction with the denial produced by the use of these substances) may help to explain the greater predisposition to substance abuse among LGBT individuals.
Even if the LGBT individual is open about his or her identity, it is virtually impossible to deny the effects of society’s negative attitudes, which can result in feelings of doubt, confusion, fear, and sorrow (Diamond-Friedman, 1990). Often referrals or appropriate treatment are difficult to secure due to the lack of understanding of these issues by treatment program administrators and staff. Finding a program that can both address LGBT clients’ treatment needs and be supportive of them as individuals can be very difficult.
Members of the LGBT community often face problems in traditional health care systems and are stigmatized within programs by staff and other clients (Mongeon & Ziebold, 1982).Service providers should develop a basic understanding of how they can best serve these populations to help ensure successful treatment outcomes. In addition, due to the multicultural and varied backgrounds of LGBT clients, treatment approaches and modalities may need to be tailored to meet the needs of these individuals.
The growing body of literature on working with LGBT substance abusers can help clinicians understand the issues and improve treatment (Cabaj, 1996; Finnegan & McNally, 1987 Gonsiorek, 1985; Ziebold & Mongeon, 1985).
Approaches
Abstinence-based and treatment-readiness approaches to substance abuse disorders are the two major approaches presented in this chapter. For the purpose of this publication, treatment readiness refers to the level of readiness that individuals may exhibit relating to changing alcohol and drug use behaviors. When undergoing treatment for substance abuse, LGBT individuals have many of the same issues as the larger population, but they may have additional issues as well. LGBT clients may be coping with coming out; their sexual orientation and gender identity; societal stigmas; HIV/AIDS; death and dying; discrimination; same-sex relationships; and homophobic family members, employers, and work colleagues. At times, these issues have a negative impact on a person’s ability to change his or her alcohol and drug use patterns and other harmful behavior.
Providers need to understand that a part of substance abuse recovery for many LGBT individuals is accepting themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender and finding a way to feel comfortable in society.
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