This Article was brought to you by the addiction treatment experts at Fresh Start Therapy. At Fresh Start Recovery Center, each member of our staff brings a combination of education, professional certifications, and training. But they also bring experience, empathy, and compassion. Our Gaithersburg MD Rehab Center Offers the best in Addiction Treatment

How Are the Treatment Needs of Men and Women Different?

Addiction does not discriminate. It affects people regardless of their gender, income level, age, and location. However, there are undeniable differences between the genders when it comes to designing the most effective addiction treatment programs. Here is a high-level overview of the physical, social, and psychological aspects that gender brings to bear when it comes to substance abuse treatment programs:

  • Physical differences – Besides obvious anatomical differences, men and women are physically different in how they metabolize alcohol and drugs. For example, women have a higher sensitivity to stimulant drugs such as cocaine, possibly due to their higher estrogen levels. Men’s bodies have lower fat and higher water content than women’s bodies. Water dilutes alcohol but fat retains it, so women have a higher risk of organ damage due to alcohol misuse.
  • Social differences – Women in addiction treatment programs often have experienced physical or sexual abuse, but they are more likely to have a job and high school diploma than men. Women are also more likely to have interaction with child welfare services as a result of their addiction. Of course, women also have to deal with the effects of substance abuse during pregnancy.
  • Psychological differences – Men are more likely than women to develop alcohol and drug issues. However, women who do become addicted to alcohol or drugs do so more quickly. Often, women enter recovery programs with deeper psychological, behavioral, and medical conditions than men.

Benefits of a Women’s Program for Addiction Treatment

Our addiction treatment programs in Maryland allow us to address the needs of men and women under our care. Our women’s program addresses women’s issues and creates a welcoming space for female clients to share their experiences and concentrate on recovery — without the distraction of mixed company.

The women’s addiction treatment program MD at Fresh Start Recovery Center offers the following advantages:

  • Honest communication in group sessions
  • Personal recovery programs
  • Fewer distractions and conflict with the opposite sex
  • A network of supportive women

If you are a woman who would like a fresh start, come to our facility in Maryland and begin to rebuild your life today.

Men’s Program for Addiction Treatment

At our men’s rehab program, male clients benefit from medically assisted recovery programs that focus on the needs of men with substance use disorders.

Our men’s program in Maryland has the following benefits:

  • In mixed groups, sexual tension can distract from the healing process. Our men’s only rehab allows men to interact with one another and focus on recovery.
  • In group therapy, gender-specific groups allow for more open communication.
  • Men often struggle with showing their emotions. By segregating the sexes for treatment, men can feel free to open up without feelings of weakness.
  • By interacting with other men in recovery, clients receive support during their time in recovery and when they return home.

Gender-Specific Treatment in Maryland

There are many benefits of gender-specific treatment. Our women’s program uses both holistic and traditional therapies to help women with substance use disorders overcome their addictions. Similarly, our men’s program offers numerous programs so that we can customize a treatment plan for each of our male clients. Contact us at 833.625.0398 to begin your recovery program and leave behind the dark days of drug and alcohol addiction.

See Some of Fresh Start’s other Treatment Programs


Fresh Start Recovery Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, offers comprehensive treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. We are conveniently located close to the Washington, D.C. metro area and Maryland’s Montgomery, Howard and Frederick counties. Fresh Start is dedicated to serving the communities in the state of Maryland and also along the East Coast. We offer Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient, and Outpatient programs at our beautiful facility.