Originally posted in: http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/male-self-image-issues.html

It has been dubbed the Adonis Complex, a type of body dysmophic disorder. Preoccupied with body image, men obsessed over obtaining the perfect six-pack, the perfect chest, the perfect arms, the perfect everything. Even after the results are achieved, the men are still not satisfied. In their eyes, they are still flawed.

Historically, it was perceived that women were the only ones that were self-conscious about their bodies, but it seems the issue has crossed gender lines. More and more men, specifically gay men, suffer from negative body images. The range of suffering can be as mild as trying to lose a couple of pounds to more severe conditions like the Adonis Complex. A negative self-image can be debilitating. It affects one’s self-esteem and research has shown that a low self-esteem can lead to severe psychological problems such as depression or anxiety.

Obtaining the perfect male physique is not a new phenomenon. Playgirl centerfolds and Chippendale dancers have been around a long time and while the men had excellent bodies, society didn’t adopt them as the male standard. Back then, flab wasn’t bad. But slowly, demand for washboard abs, sculpted chests and a body fat of less than 6% have become the norm. Demonstrating their sex appeal, male stars can’t wait to lift their shirts and brandish ripped torsos. National and local magazine covers display more skin then ever before. In recent years, the demonization of body hair has a set off a trend of shaved bodies. All these images send a message to men that if they don’t fit this mold, then they are not desirable, not fit and worse, not men. Women around the world are saying, “Welcome to our world.”

The pressures to conform start to take root. It’s not changing to a healthier lifestyle or joining a gym that’s the issue, it’s the disappointment and feelings of low self-worth that erupt when goals are not reached. These emotions can manifest in eating disorders, angry outbursts or engaging in risky behaviors like unprotected sex or drug use. If you feel shameful or like a failure because your body doesn’t resemble those on billboards, you may have a negative body image.

The Pride Institute of Florida can help rebuild your body image and your self-esteem. With therapy, you’ll learn to appreciate who you are and while body image is important, you’ll understand it’s not the sole component of your identity. Men with a healthy body image are more likely to have a positive outlook on life, be more confident and have better sexual relations. Does this sound like what you want? If so, call us today and find out how we can help.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/11/prweb4782974.htm

Pink is the new green.

Ten years ago, John Dorry and his partner, Bill Barnish, bought a transient, weekly rental motel called Sante Fe Landings, located off the water in the city of Wilton Manors. The purchase was supposed to be strictly an investment but a year later, Bill was approached to convert the property into a gay resort. What was once a boring motel turned into a sprawling, upscale all male retreat. The Cabanas was born.

Tapping into the gay market or the “pink economy” was the best decision Bill and John ever made. Gay and lesbian consumers comprise the majority of the DINK (Duel Income No Kids) segment of the population. For gay men, the median annual household income is $83,000 per year while lesbians average $80,000 per year. Their heterosexual counterparts have a median annual income of $46,326. This difference is the reason why national surveys by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications predict gays and lesbians will represent an impressive $845 billion market by 2011. If you’re business caters to a niche market, this is the niche to do business with. That’s what John and Bill have discovered. Even in this floundering economy, their bookings and revenues have steadily increased.

While national chains such as the W and Marriott have launched national campaigns offering free night stays to bolster sales, The Cabanas have stuck to their tried and tested campaign of offering value and outstanding customer service. “Gay men are loyal to a great product,” John states, “As long as we provide them with something they want, they’ll come back.” Indeed The Cabanas has had a high rate of returning customers. This loyalty is reflected in national statistics that show gays and lesbians are 7 to10 times more likely to support brands that market to the gay and lesbian community or businesses that are gay owned and operated. Having a devoted consumer base has helped cushion The Cabanas and other gay establishments from the debilitating effects of the recession.

If you drive through Fort Lauderdale or Miami, you can see the tell tale signs of a weakened economy. Empty storefronts, abandoned buildings and houses, sparse restaurants and stores have become quite commonplace but in the city of Wilton Manors, the scene is contrastingly different. Wilton Manors just finished constructing a new City Hall while new nightclubs and luxury rentals have cropped up in the city. At night, revelers parade the street and overflow out of the bars. It’s not that Wilton Manors hasn’t been affected by the recession, it has, but with a large population of gay and lesbian residents and a constant stream of gay/lesbian tourists, the gay dollar has shielded the city much of the recession’s crushing blow.

No one is more thankful than the owners of The Cabanas. It’s the middle of the day and The Cabanas is bustling with activity. The staff is busy trimming palm trees and prepping rooms for the next wave of guests. Men in their early thirties to retirees with silver hair lounge on the poolside chairs. Some get up and mosey languidly to the hot tub. If there were any thoughts of the recession, it didn’t appear on their faces. While most Americans have reduced, if not eliminated, their travel budgets, gay consumers are still doling out discretionary dollars towards travel.

So is the gay and lesbian market recession proof? Perhaps not completely recession proof, but definitely recession resistant. “Certainly many members of the gay and lesbian community have been affected,” said David Paisley, senior projects manager at Community Marketing, a San Francisco-based research company specializes in the GLBT market. “But we have found that gays and lesbians tend to be overrepresented in careers such as education, healthcare and urban core professional careers. These jobs have been less affected by the recession than jobs like construction or manufacturing.”

Couple this improved job security with the fact that most gays and lesbians have less financial burdens than heterosexual families with kids, the gay dollar is a highly attractive commodity to retailers and marketers. But just because a business caters to the GLBT community doesn’t automatically mean prosperous returns. Notoriously persnickety, gay and lesbian consumers have high standards and those businesses that fail to meet these standards have not fared well. It’s the reason why the owners of The Cabanas have invested heavily over the ten years in modernizing and enhancing the property. They are the only gay resort with a full day spa. It was a gamble, but in the end, the investment was well worth it. This year, The Cabanas celebrates a tenth anniversary, giving testament that the power of the pink economy is growing stronger and stronger. Those who can tap into it, can reap the rewards.

Original published in: http://www.trazzler.com/trips/haulover-beach-park-in-bal-harbour-fl

 

There’s a line from My Chauffeur, an old 80’s movie, that goes like this, “If I see something I haven’t seen before, I’ll throw a rock at it.” Good thing there are no rocks at Miami’s only clothing-optional beach, Haulover Beach. If you can’t bear to see bare, then this au naturel beach isn’t for you. But if you’re uninhibited and don’t mind the sand getting into your nether regions, this is your beach to commune intimately with Mother Nature. White sand, turquoise water, cerulean sky, this beach is your oasis. Remember it’s clothing optional, you don’t have to go all centerfold naked, but think about all the money you’ll save. After all, birthday suits don’t cost you a dime.

Originally posted in:  http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/archive/September-2010/

Say you just came out. You want to make friends so you go to the clubs. You meet some interesting people. You want to fit in so you learn what “partying” is. Everybody is doing it so you start using crystal meth. You loose your inhibitions and your sex drive is insatiable. You have unprotected sex with multiple partners and become HIV positive.

Or you like to experiment. You love living on the edge and are always looking for the next great high. You find crystal meth. It gets you to cloud nine while you’re using and to heaven when you’re having sex. It’s too addictive. You use more crystal meth and have more sex. Before you know it, you test HIV+.

Perhaps you’re in a high-pressure job or in school with mounting academic and financial obligations. You just want a reprieve. Crystal Meth is your safe haven. When you’re on it, all your concerns and worries melt away. You don’t care what you’re doing and who you are with. It turns out one of the people you were with was HIV+ and you had unprotected sex.

Maybe you’re already HIV+ and you feel isolated and alone. You’ve been turned down because of your status. You start to use crystal meth to alleviate the rejections. Normally, you would have safe sex but when you’re using, everything is on an equal playing field. You don’t care anymore.

Regardless of the scenario and rest assured there are many more, research and statistics overwhelmingly show that crystal meth addiction augments the rate of HIV transmission, especially in the GLBT community. To cope with the stigmatization and ostracism of being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, many use crystal meth to make themselves feel good. Users fail to realize the good feelings are temporary while the damages can be long lasting, if not deadly.

Using crystal meth lowers your inhibitions and as a result, you engage in risky behaviors. Increased risk increases your chances of contracting HIV. Drugs, like crystal meth, may feel like they alleviate pain or suffering but like a bandage, they only offer temporary relief while the deeper underlying emotional and psychological wound continue to fester.

But many crystal meth users have found a way to break the addiction. With a combination of psychotherapy, medical and psychiatric treatments and a strong support system, crystal meth addicts can turn their lives around and find the happiness that had eluded them in the past. They learn new coping strategies and a healthy approach to dealing with life’s adversity.

Addiction is never easy to overcome, especially with crystal meth. But there are solutions to help overcome the addiction. Help is out there. You don’t have to ask for help, all you have to do is come in.

Originally posted in: http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/suicide-and-glbt-teens.html

Coming out is never easy. Even more so for a teenager.

With puberty, peer pressures, religious values and familial expectations, it’s not easy to be a teen. Compile these issues with a questioning sexual identity and you’ve just thrown fuel on a fire.

Most teenagers want to fit in, to be with the “in” crowd, to not stand out. GLBT teens are often ostracized, taunted and bullied. To end their sufferings, some run away, some act out, while others choose more dire actions. Here are some national facts:

• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey.

• A 2009 San Francisco State University study, “Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes,” shows that adolescence who were rejected by their families for being LGBT were 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide.

• The 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey found that for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made.

With these daunting figures, it’s a wonder GLBT teens who do come out, can do so successfully. But they do and grow up to be accomplished musicians, actors, teachers and even politicians. They are testament to the fact that in a nurturing and caring environment, GLBT teens can accept their sexualities and grow up to be productive members of society.

If you are a teenager and questioning your sexuality, you are not alone.

If you are being teased, bullied and even threatened, you have help.

You don’t have to suffer alone or in silence.

Being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered isn’t a curse or something to be ashamed of. More importantly, being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered isn’t a death sentence. The Pride Institute would like you to know they are safe havens for you to deal with these issues. With positive role models, community support, peer counseling in a non-judgmental setting, we’ll show you that being different is a blessing and nothing to hide. After all, PRIDE is something everybody should experience.

Call us today if you have any questions, concerns or need help.

Originally posted in: http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/your-sex-life-enjoyment-or-addiction.html

SEX! SEX! SEX!

Now that we got your attention…let’s talk about sex, shall we?

Sex, that three-letter word that infiltrates all our radio and TV shows, advertisements and even invades our water cooler discussions. Research has debunked the myth that men think about sex once every seven seconds, but what if your sexual thoughts, feelings or behaviors adversely affected your health, job, relationships or other parts of your life?

If sex drastically interferes with your life, you may have sexual addiction issues.

When it comes to addiction, most people automatically think of drugs and alcohol. It’s true that substance abuse is pervasive – studies have shown that up to 30% of the GLBT community is addicted to drugs. More often than not, sexual addiction follows on the coattails of other addictions. It’s not uncommon for a dual or even a triple diagnosis for various addictions to occur. Once you are susceptible to one addiction, it seems that you are susceptible to many others.

The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity has defined sexual addiction, hypersexuality or sexual compulsion as “engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior acted out despite increasing negative consequences to self and others.” Here are some common traits of sexual addicts:

• Compulsive Masturbation
• Multiple Extra-marital Affairs
• Multiple Anonymous Partners or One Night Stand
• Consistent Use of Pornography
• Unsafe sex
• Prostitution or Use of Prostitutes
• Exhibitionism
• Obsessive Dating Through Personal Ads
• Voyeurism
• Sexual Harassment
• Rape or Molestation

Wait a minute, “I exhibit some of those traits. Does that make me a sexual addict?” No.

Sex addicts gain little satisfaction from their sexual activities and form no emotional bonds with their sex partners. In addition, feelings of guilt and shame are the overriding emotions associated with sex. Like most addicts, the inability to stop the behavior is the problem.

So if you feel that your sexual thoughts and behavior are out of control, if you feel that you have a compulsion that you can’t control, if sex has impaired your ability to maintain any type of relationship, seek help. The Pride Institute has treated and helped many overcome their addictions. Recovery starts with an admission while treatment begins with a call. Make the call today and take the first steps to living a life free of addiction.

Originally posted in: http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/substance-abuse-help-for-glbt.html

If you broke your arm, would you visit a dermatologist? If you needed legal advice, would you consult with your banker? Doesn’t make sense right? Well the same thing goes for gays and lesbians seeking mental counseling. If you’re a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person, why would you go to a treatment facility that may be homophobic or shows little sensitivity to your needs?

The Pride Institute is a mental health facility that’s accepting, non-judgmental and specializes in the treatment of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered.

We understand that many of the mental health, addictions and dependency issues surrounding most GLB&T derive from their sexual identities. Feelings of guilt, shame, confusion and rejection are common. Untreated, these feelings can manifest themselves in the forms of addiction, anger, depression and in the worst case scenario, suicide.

When you visit The Pride Institute, it’s comforting to know that you will be in an environment with people who have had or are going through the same issues as you. If you hid your sexuality in the past, The Pride Institute can help you accept and come to terms with who you are. We believe that a nurturing, respectful and open environment is a major tenement to a successful recovery or treatment. At our facility, you won’t ever have to hide or mask who you are.

You may be thinking, with more and more gays and lesbians coming out and society becoming more tolerant, there’s no need for a GLBT mental health facility. You can go to any facility and get the same care. It’s true that homosexuality has become more mainstream, but that doesn’t translate into acceptance. The rash of gay teenage suicide only proves that point. Even gays and lesbians who come from openminded families still grapple with the issue of coming out. Case in point, Cher’s child, Chaz (formerly Chastity) Bono took years to self-identify as gay. And even Cher, being the most notable gay icon, admitted that she had an initial hard time accepting her child’s homosexuality. Those who don’t have a good support system end up feeling isolated, ashamed and withdrawn. They seek help from a mental health facility who may not have the necessary skills to help or the facility is dominated by heterosexuals and the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person is singled out. Instead of diminishing, their feelings of isolation increase.

It’s easier to achieve success in therapy or to overcome an addiction when you have people you can relate to. At The Pride Institute, you’ll be surrounded by people who have stepped in the same footsteps as you, people who know what you are going through.

Call The Pride Institute today if you have issues relating to your sexuality or if you have addiction or mental health problems. After all, a comfortable state of mind goes hand in hand with a comfortable environment.

Originally posted in: http://www.prideinstituteflorida.com/our-weblog/dont-be-left-alone.html

In an Amy Winehouse song, she sings, “They tried to make me go to rehab, I said no, no, no.” Even though this is just a song, the resistance expressed in her lyrics is pervasive among substance abusers. Mention rehab and watch addicts run away, hide and do everything short of climbing into the space shuttle to escape the pressure of going. Don’t believe it? Just watch any episodes of Intervention. Going to rehab is like pulling out an artery for many addicts and very few go willingly.

Why does the word “rehab” evoke such despair? The answer is FEAR. The predominant fear that debilitates substance abusers is the withdrawals of drugs, alcohol or prescription medication. Living a sober life and dealing with current and past demons is a painful reality many would rather not face. It’s easier to stay numb and self-medicate. Another overriding fear is the stigma attached to going rehab. If you’re in rehab, the implied assumption is that you’re reckless and harmful. This label could be damaging to a person’s social standing or career. With this in mind, many opt out from rehab, avoiding any public scrutiny. And lastly, there is the simple fact that many users don’t believe they have a problem. Under a cloak of denial, they insist they don’t have a problem. They believe their drinking or substance use is manageable, all the while becoming increasingly dependent.

Each day an addict refuses treatment, brings another day of uncertainty and worry for him or herself and their loved ones. Turning down help is like a drowning victim tossing back a life preserver. At High Point Treatment Center, we want you to assure you that rehab and a life of sobriety are not things to be feared, but goals to accomplish.

If you think rehab consists of stark institutional walls, an impatient staff and futile group meetings, then it is time to change your thinking. With a tranquil tropical setting, High Point Treatment Center can help ease you into sobriety. There is no boot camp mentality here. With individual as well as group therapy, you’ll get personalized treatment as well as mentors who can relate and comfort. If your main fear is withdrawal, we have a superb medical team to assist you during your recovery. At High Point Treatment Center, you are not alone. We’ll help you relearn valuable coping skills so that your sobriety isn’t short term, but life-long.

There are many reasons to fear rehabilitation and sobriety, but there is one compelling reason that rises above all your fears…your happiness.

Call us today and start your sober life now.