Women and men take drugs for different reasons and have varied experiences with addiction and relapse. In the early stages of recovery, men and women should have different issues and concerns.
Many women have the same concerns when it comes to obtaining assistance for an addiction. They fear losing their children or not being able to sustain their family.
Sadly, women are more likely to assume that their addiction is a consequence of emotional stress rather than a social habit. Their humiliation and financial constraints prevent them from seeking help.
A woman’s fight for sobriety doesn’t stop when she finishes treatment. In early recovery, women face additional issues that, if addressed, raise recurrence risk. However, these days, many recovering women are making wise decisions by choosing to have professional help.
Many facilities work like a team in favor of women’s health and bright future. Choosing a professional community as the heights treatment that understands what an addict needs will be a smart move. Take your time finding dependable facilities that will help you heal.
Why Do Women Take Drugs and Alcohol?
For various reasons, drug and alcohol misuse are common among women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that more women are drinking. Women are more prone than men to misusing drugs or alcohol for a variety of reasons. For example-
- There are more cases of co-occurring anxiety and depression.
- Eating disorders and body image difficulties are more common among young females.
- Victims of abuse often turn to drugs or alcohol for solace.
- Increased drug or alcohol addiction due to family or relationship substance misuse.
- Family obligations, lack of medical leave, and money might lead to prescription drug abuse.
There was a misconception that people thought women didn’t misuse drugs and alcohol. That’s why they were omitted from addiction research at first.
After finding out that women can also engage in substance abuse, they were included in the research. The study showed that addiction affects women more than men.
Women in Recovery: What You Need to Know About the Issues and Concerns
Many women are afraid to seek therapy for their addiction in the early stages. Women may struggle to see their drug and alcohol use as more than a social sin. They also hesitate to seek drug treatment due to fear of judgment and financial concerns.
1. Feeling Ashamed
People in recovery, regardless of gender, deal with feelings of shame daily. However, many women deal with guilt in ways that men do not. Interaction with children can be a common source of embarrassment for many mothers.
Under the influence, moms may feel guilty about their children’s acts (or inactions). Or women feel awful for leaving their kids while they get therapy.
Being pregnant or nursing is unpleasant during the addiction period. Women feel horrible and guilty since their children can get affected. The stigma they experience from society might amplify their guilt.
2. The Stigma of Addiction and Lack of Assistance
Marrying or dating a drug addict increases a woman’s relapse risk. It is due to a lack of home and personal support.
Marital problems may make it harder for women to remain clean due to negative feelings and interpersonal challenges. And we have already talked about the motherhood stigma, which may hinder women’s treatment and recovery.
3. Pregnancy
Abusing drugs or alcohol might lead to improper sexual encounters. Pregnant women who abuse drugs or alcohol have an increased risk of a wide range of complications. For example, miscarriage, stillbirth, early delivery, and newborn abnormalities.
Abstinence syndrome in a newborn is known as neonatal abstinence syndrome. A woman’s drinking during pregnancy increases her risk of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Pregnant addicts must detox carefully to safeguard their unborn children. They will also require treatment to deal with shame or embarrassment.
4. Addicted to Romance, Sex, or a Relationship That Goes Unnoticed
Men and women with drug addictions often have sex, love, or relationship addictions. Many women in recovery are drawn to risky relationships because of substance abuse.
Reviewing prior relationships and trauma might help women discover codependency or love addiction. Neglecting relationships, trauma, and self-esteem may lead to addiction and make abstinence difficult.
5. Traumas of the Past
Addiction is typically linked to a woman’s history of trauma. Domestic violence and rape are the most common traumas for women. However, trauma may take many different forms.
Violence in the home can include both physical and emotional abuse. Both married and unmarried lovers may abuse women at home. They may also see how their abusive spouse treats their children.
An attack on a woman’s sexual health may have long-term effects on her emotional well-being. Abused women may have problems developing healthy relationships or having sex.
Trauma-informed therapy and holistic well-being may help women recover from trauma. Women who are uncomfortable sharing trauma with males may join women-only support groups.
6. Body/Food Fixations
Some women may abuse stimulants and diet medications to lose weight or stay slender. When individuals stop taking these drugs, they may gain weight and suffer mood changes, triggering body image issues.
Women with anorexia and addiction use disordered eating to dominate their lives. Untreated eating disorders might promote recurrence once therapy is complete. We must focus on diet, control, and body image when recovering.
7. Mood
Those who have experienced “the pink cloud” may use drugs again to self-medicate after it goes off. Many early-stage addicts still feel empty. Lack of self-awareness and depression are also common. Continue counseling to address fundamental reasons and improve coping skills.
8. Self-Esteem
Many teenage girls start taking drugs and alcohol to increase their self-esteem or fit in with friends. It is a prevalent cause of drug and alcohol misuse in adult women. Sober friends and mentors may help early-recovery women establish self-confidence.
9. Hormonal Shifts Occur
Hormones can be disrupted by poor diet and pollutants in the body when a woman is in the midst of an addiction. Menopause, PMDD, and stress may cause melancholy, anxiety, overload, mood changes, and exhaustion. These feelings might lead to a relapse or a new addiction.
Final Words
Despite these hurdles, many women take the first step toward recovery and seek treatment. Asking for assistance is often the most challenging part of the process.
It’s also possible to open the door to a life filled with happiness, laughter, health, and healing after this first step. Recovery is possible for everyone struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Futures is here to assist and has a variety of rehabilitation programs to choose from