5 Must-Known Facts About Women And Addiction

5 Must-Known Facts About Women And Addiction : Many people find the topic of ‘women and drug addiction’ difficult to talk about, or even consider. Women, who have traditionally been viewed as caregivers and nurturers, frequently feel obligated to maintain a certain image.

Those who deal with alcohol or drug addiction, as well as those who suffer from mental illness, feel compelled to hide their difficulties from society.

They bury their feelings and try to deal at home, which often contributes to the addiction cycle.

Women who are upfront about their drug misuse encounter a lot of prejudice. They often hear comments like they are a bad mother, their drinking habits are not like a proper lady, etc.

Women may also feel more alone and despairing about the possibility of rehabilitation due to the wiring of their brains and their proclivity for mental health problems. Many women fighting addiction worry that they can never conquer the disorder.

All of these attitudes hinder many women from receiving the assistance they require.

Top 5 Facts About Women And Addiction

There is a New York iop program that talks all about women’s problems in confronting addiction and getting the required treatment in time. This is why we thought of debunking the myths of ‘women and addiction’ and getting everything out in the open.

Let’s find out:

Women Have Better Chances To Suffer From Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems

Co-occurring drug and mental health issues are highly common among women.This is due to the fact that women are more prone than men to mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and trauma. For example, major depressive disorder, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders are twice as common in women as they are in men.

Up to 99% of women in drug treatment have been through a traumatic event in their lives, such as physical abuse or the loss of a loved one.

Symptoms of these diseases frequently prompt women to use drugs in an attempt to cope or self-medicate. In fact, this is one of the most common reasons for female drug usage.

Many women say they take medicines to cope with stress or bad feelings, and studies suggest that they mostly do so in response to psychological stressors. On the other hand, men are more likely to use drugs in reaction to drug-related cues such as peer pressure and social situations.

As a result, women are more prone to acquire a substance use disorder in an attempt to alleviate unpleasant mental health symptoms like:
- - Memories of suffering.
  - Flashbacks to a traumatic event.
  - Anxiety in social situations.
  - Depression.
  - Negative self-perception.
  - Self-harm.
  - Obsessive musings.
Women are also more prone to use drugs in the aftermath of catastrophic events like divorce, the death of a partner or child, or the loss of custody of their children.
Addiction Treatment Is Not Same For Men And Women

As previously stated, women are more likely than men to acquire substance use disorders. As a result, people frequently enter treatment for addiction with more serious physical, behavioral, psychological, and social issues.

They frequently come in with co-occurring mental problems or a trauma background. Women, as a result, require highly specific counseling and care.

When compared to patients with only one disorder, those with co-occurring mental and drug use disorders are often more resistant to treatment.

As a result, individuals require integrated dual diagnosis treatment, which involves treating both mental and addiction disorders at the same time. This increases their chances of success.
Women Don’t Get Treated From Addiction So Easily

Addiction, like asthma and diabetes, is a long-term illness. Addiction is very curable and controlled, even though there is no cure.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, treatment enables people to resist addiction’s destructive effects on their brain and behavior and reclaim control of their life. This is referred to as recovery.

Women, in particular, have a good prognosis after undergoing professional addiction therapy.

According to a recent article, women are more likely than males to remain abstinent because they are more inclined to ask for help, make changes when necessary, and seek emotional support through counseling.
Women Don’t Ask For Treatment As Much As Men

Women, on average, are more likely than males to seek help and seek mental health care. But on the other hand, women are less likely to obtain adequate substance misuse treatment or the specialized care they require, according to a national study. It is difficult for women to obtain specialized addiction treatment. When it comes to receiving drug and alcohol treatment, they confront a variety of particular challenges.

Women, for example, are more likely to be the primary caregivers for their children, making them less able to enroll in a long-term or residential treatment program, both of which are recommended.

They are also more likely to battle with the stigma associated with drug addiction, making them less likely to seek help.

Women who are moms or expecting a child experience the most stigma and shame of all. They may be afraid of what others may think if they seek treatment.

Most women feel more comfortable at detox center in Long Beach and at peace in a women’s only rehab center because of the judgment and shame that surrounds women with addiction nowadays.
Women Can Consume As Much Drugs As Men

Men were once thought to take drugs more commonly than women, although this was during a time when addiction research was exclusively focused on men.By 2020, the gender gap will have narrowed. Approximately 19.5 million women over the age of 18 use illicit substances nowadays. This is only for women of the legal drinking age. According to new data, adolescent girls are now 15 times more likely than their moms to use drugs by 15.

While men use drugs more frequently than women, both genders are equally likely to continue using them once the drugs are introduced.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, women are just as likely as men to acquire a substance use disorder. Furthermore, women are more likely to advance from their first usage to addiction.

Conclusion

Women’s recovery institutions will almost always use trauma-informed therapy methods.

The team will address women’s difficulties such as rape, child abuse, domestic violence, and co-occurring mental health illnesses.

There, they will always be surrounded by others who have had similar experiences, and treatment will be customized to the unique requirements of women facing addiction in a specific type of gender-specific setting.

So, if you need more information on them, let us know in the comment box below.