Alcohol abuse is the act of drinking alcohol in a way that leads to health, legal, financial and relationship problems. The physical effects of alcohol abuse are similar for men and women, but some health issues affect men more severely than women.

Men may experience liver cancer, mouth, throat or oesophagal cancer, strokes, or heart attacks.

Some of the consequences of excessive drinking are related to long-term abuse, other consequences can negatively impact men over the short-to-medium term. One of these health problems is male sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction, impotence, and infertility.

When dealing with alcohol addiction, men need to seek professional help. During rehab treatment, men receive the necessary tools to cope with stressful situations without drinking. The therapy programmes can teach them how to deal with urges and cravings and avoid triggers and relapse.

Men’s Rehab

Rehab for men often focusses on the underlying causes of the addiction, co-occurring mental health problems typically faced by men, as well as the most prevalent issues associated with relapse prevention that men face.

The main benefit of a male programme is the opportunity it gives patients to focus on male-gender specific issues, such as anger management, abuse to women or by women, sexuality issues and other matters that often experienced by men.

Rehab therapies for men

Therapies that can help men with addiction include:

  • Specialist therapies – individual therapy, group therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, DBT, EMDR.
  • Complementary therapies: trauma groups, grief group, eating-disorder group, mindfulness meditation, art therapy, equine therapy, drumming therapy.
  • Relapse prevention group where men learn to identify their addiction triggers and learn how to overcome them through practising new coping skills.
  • Psycho-educational lectures on anger management, relationship issues, social anxiety, problems associated with dysfunctional family backgrounds.
  • Other leisurly activities for overall mental and physical wellbeing: fitness, swimming, table-tennis, board games, country walks,
  • Daily community activities for bonding with other members of the community and developing social skills and lifeskills.