Addiction is not a discriminating disease. Substance abuse is a problem for both men and women from all walks of life. Recently, many rehabilitation centers have emerged that help women overcome their addictions. These specialized treatment centers provide options to women who have fallen victim to drug or alcohol abuse and are looking to get on the road to recovery.
Women’s treatment programs are specially designed to meet the specific needs of women. However, the heart of a successful rehabilitation program is still the same. The women at these centers will go through the detoxification process, which flushes all of the addictive substances from their bodies. From there, they will work to overcome their dependence on the substance and continue on to recovery.
Not only will the physical aspect of recovery be addressed, but a women’s rehab center will also focus on the emotional side of the healing process. For example, women will be encouraged to reconnect with the spiritual side they may have lost because of their addiction.
One of the most vital aspects of a women’s recovery is a change in environment. More often than not, substance abuse and addiction can be attributed to an emotional trigger. This can include a traumatic past event or encounter. This is especially true for women that receive a dual diagnosis or those who are dealing with a mental condition, like anxiety or depression.
Gender specific rehabilitation centers provide addicts with so many benefits and are often more successful in treating addiction than co-ed facilities. It would seem that all addicts who abuse the same substance can take the same road to recovery. This is simply not true.
Men and women differ in their reactions, attitudes and actions while abusing drugs or alcohol. In fact, the chosen substance will typically vary according to gender. The bottom line: Women and men are hardwired differently. Emotional, biological and physical issues all need to be considered.
Rehabilitation is not just an issue of gender. Most people believe that recovery is dependent upon each individual and varies case by case. Drug or alcohol abuse varies from person to person and is largely dependent on their substance type, age, and history with the substance. A gender specific rehabilitation center is the first step towards providing individuals with a personalized treatment option. Some of the reasons women do better in female-only rehab centers include:
Biological Issues:
Feminine issues like pregnancy and menopause often come up during treatment. Women will almost always feel more comfortable discussing such issues with other women who can relate to their experiences.
Emotional Effects
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, men and women dealing with addiction and recovery respond with different emotional patterns. With men, anxiety is the primary trigger for relapse, while with women, extreme sadness or depression are the likely triggers. In considering this, same-sex recovery populations tend to do much better than mixed populations.
Women Rehab – Sobercollege.com offers recovery programs for drug addiction, alcoholism and other dangerous addictions. All programs are tailored to meet the needs of students and other young adults.