The unique life experiences of women mean they have distinctive needs when it comes to addiction recovery. Because women have life stresses and reasons for abusing substances that men may not have, you need a women’s addiction treatment program that will address these factors. At Atlantic Recovery Center, we have resources to help women get beyond their addictions and improve their lives. To learn more about the benefits of a women’s addiction treatment program, call Atlantic Recovery Center today.
Women Experience Addiction Differently
The women’s movement brought equality to the sexes in the workplace and society. Unfortunately, with this new position, women also have approached men in problem drinking. Today, 20% of men abuse alcohol, while the number of women ranges between 7% and 12%.
Alcohol abuse problems such as liver damage, brain shrinkage, and dependence appear sooner in women than in men. Women tend to have higher body fat percentages than men. Fat allows alcohol to stay in the body longer increasing the time of exposure. Additionally, women tend to weigh less than men, which reduces the amount of alcohol they need compared to men to get drunk. Sadly, women with alcohol dependence do not seek treatment as often as men. If they do, they tend to have similar rates of success as men with quitting their addiction.
With drug use, men and women also differ. Women, who tend to have more chronic pain conditions, abuse opioids, and other pain medication more than men. Both genders use stimulants in equal amounts, but women often have stronger cravings tied to their cycles. For marijuana use, women only report using it daily at one third the rate of men.
The problem with finding help is that many treatment programs used men during their development and failed to account for women’s needs. A specific women’s addiction treatment program tailored for women may help you find recovery.
Why Women Fall Into Addiction
The reasons behind addiction differ between men and women. For example, women have double the chance of getting a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. These mental illnesses do not directly cause substance abuse, but many women use drugs or alcohol to treat the pain of these conditions. This self-treatment can lead to dependency and abuse. To care for both, women need a treatment that focuses on both substance abuse and a co-occurring disorder.
The traumas women experience that result in problem drinking and drug use tend to be interpersonal types. Physical and sexual abuse can both cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that some use substances to ease. In fact, those who enter a women’s addiction treatment program have a higher likelihood of having PTSD than men in recovery programs.
Women also have to worry about family, children, work, and hormonal changes that all challenge their lives. Men often do not have these types of concerns. If they do, these worries may not plague them the same as they do women.
Benefits of a Women’s Addiction Treatment Program
A women’s addiction treatment program should take into account any co-occurring mental illnesses. Dual diagnosis treatment includes care to help the woman recover from addiction and a secondary psychiatric problem. Because every woman needs specific care for her needs, she may need to take advantage of any of the following services:
- Partial hospitalization program
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Inpatient rehab treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
Upon admission, a treatment team will help you to find the best therapies for your condition. With the right help, you do not have to become a statistic. You can recover from substance abuse.
Get Substance Abuse Help From Us at Vogue Recovery Center
Women do not experience addiction in the same way that men do. They need the benefits of a women’s addiction treatment program. If you are a woman with a substance abuse problem, you need a women’s addiction treatment program that recognizes this. Connect with us at Vogue Recovery Center by calling us today at 1-866-824-5193. You can get your life back from what addiction stole.