Muse Treatment in LA Weighs in On Systematic Inequalities in Addiction Treatment for LGBTQ+ Community

Los Angeles, California -

Los Angeles, CA - Systemic inequalities related to treatment for substance use disorders are harming the LGBTQ+ community, making it more difficult for people to get the help they need. Muse Treatment, a leading addiction treatment center in Los Angeles, discusses these systematic inequalities as well as how they work to provide effective treatment for people who identify as LGBTQ+.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines health disparities, or systematic inequalities, as something preventable that reflects the differences in the effects and burdens of violence, access to optimal health opportunities and diseases.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the anxiety rates of LGBTQ+ persons are between 150 and 200 percent higher than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. The data reveals that 30 to 60 percent of lesbians, transgenders, bisexuals, and gay men have dealt with anxiety or depression in their lives.

Further studies by human rights groups reveal that 40 percent of transgender youth and 28 percent of LGBTQ+ youth have reported being depressed in their lives.

According to Dr. Kryss Shane, these hardships are brought on largely by bullying, discrimination, and a lack of social acceptance. These difficulties are known to lead people to abuse drugs and alcohol. A study in the Journal of School Health showed how transgender youth are as much as 250 percent more likely to use drugs or alcohol. Their study concluded that it was due to “minority stress”.

In the field of addiction treatment, the American Psychiatric Association acknowledges the discrimination, lack of awareness about mental health, the cultural stigma surrounding treatment for mental health disorders, and inaccessibility of quality healthcare as the driving factors that create systematic inequalities in addiction treatment for LGBTQ+ people.

An LGBTQ+ person is already facing many challenges and addiction treatment itself poses challenges. Finding treatment as a gay man, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person even more. Furthermore, an addiction treatment center may not provide the specialized treatment that an LGBTQ+ person needs to feel safe, understood, and cared for so that they can heal from the causes of their addiction. Their unique situation adds to the already-difficult path of overcoming addiction.

A quality addiction treatment center will approach each individual patient with an open mind, respecting their unique experience and perspective. An effective treatment that’s aimed at healing the root causes of addiction must go beyond being non-judgemental, it must be unconditionally compassionate. For true healing to take place patients must feel accepted and safe to open up about the traumatic experiences that led to their substance abuse in the first place.

Muse Treatment Center recognizes the systematic inequalities present for the LGBTQ+ community as a significant barrier to treatment, much like the stigma associated with mental health and addiction. They believe the path to breaking down these barriers involves education, compassion, and understanding. Every person has a right to high-quality addiction treatment and LGBTQ+ persons can find the caring support and professional help they need to heal trauma and overcome addiction and mental health disorders at Muse.

Anyone in need of help with substance abuse, whether for themselves or a loved one, can speak to a treatment specialist at any time by calling (800) 426-1818. Those not ready to talk are encouraged to learn more and start a live chat with an admissions counselor at www.musetreatment.com.