Women and men recover very differently from addiction. While many factors contribute to how men and women react to alcohol and the path to recovery, many of them can be boiled down to distinct differences between how biology and society treat men and women. Let’s explore why many women choose a womens drug rehab center when overcoming addiction. You must also know how an addiction recovery resource center is a huge asset to you or your loved one.
How Addiction Affects Women
There is a notable difference in biological addiction criteria of “susceptibility,” “recovery” and “risk of relapse.”
A Harvard Medical study found that while women have a lower susceptibility to addiction, they have a higher rate of escalation from abuse to dependency. Women are also more likely to self-medicate with illicit substances than they are to use substances as part of peer pressure. Women also have a higher likelihood to develop liver damage as a direct result of substance abuse and are more likely than men to suffer from intense relapse cravings and cycles.
Compounding the risks of biological addiction, women also face social stigma associated with addiction and recovery. Typically, women are the primary caretakers of small children. Societal standards highly stigmatize a woman struggling with addiction that has children under 18. This can add complex layers to an addiction battle that may have ensued years prior to the birth of her children.
Providing a Safe Environment in Womens Drug Rehab
Sexual trauma is a problem that predominates the female demographic of addiction recovery patients. Many times women will fall into addictive behaviors from the psychological fall-out of past abuse. Choosing a womens drug rehab or recovery homes San Diego residents need provide a safe and peer-oriented environment to talk about these problems. A woman that might experience a trigger for destructive behaviors may find solace in community.
Additionally, women’s targeted programs will also address environmental issues that contribute to substance abuse. A woman left with young children in a financial crisis may have turned to destructive patterns as a coping mechanism. These traumas are addressed through the experience of community therapy.
Finding Help
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime recognized the need for gender-responsive treatments all the way back in 2004. Since the early tests that focused on the best service offered between the genders, the UN has been posting per-decade updates. The most recent research into women’s drug abuse was published in March 2019.
Gender-responsive treatment facilities address the corresponding unique issues of chemical dependency on female health. For example, sometimes addiction recovery will happen with pregnant mothers. This will require gender-specific treatment to ensure Mom and baby are both safe.
It’s important to find a womens drug rehab that offers a number of programs:
- 12-step program
- Exercise therapy
- Residential care
- Behavioral therapies
- Addition treatment plan
- Christian addiction recovery program
The journey to being a whole woman can begin today. Are you ready to begin the path to wholeness? We urge you to take the first step and find a womens drug rehab center near you today.
