What to Know About Women’s Addiction Recovery

Familiarizing Yourself with Women’s Addiction Recovery

Women’s Addiction Recovery

Treatment, as well as recovery, is slightly different for women than men. This is not to say that women are weaker in any way, it just means that the genders differ from one another. Women usually:

• benefit from different types of recovery support
• experience more mental health problems related to addiction than men
• face different obstacles in getting help
• become addicted more quickly, or progress faster in their addiction than men

Women’s inpatient rehab has the added benefit of separate lodging for men and women -– freeing them from the distractions that men provide. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous reads that women progress more quickly than men when it comes to addiction. This is known as telescoping. Women break down alcohol more slowly than men because women have less stomach enzymes that break down the alcohol.

Additionally, woman have more fatty tissue than men. This means alcohol gets absorbed better into the bloodstream of a woman. One drink for a woman has twice the effect the same drink will have on a man. The brain and other organs are therefore exposed to higher concentrations of blood alcohol levels. Women’s addiction recovery, while nuanced, is possible.

While at a women’s addiction treatment center you will be treated with nothing but respect and understanding. Just because you have an addiction does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from a mental illness. We are in modern times now and women are more equal to men than at any other time throughout our country’s history.

It was not too long ago when women who were suffering from addiction were simply told they were “ill” or had some other “medical condition” since it was unheard of for a woman to have a problem with alcohol or drugs. Times have certainly changed and women have become empowered in all aspects of life – including addiction.

Women’s Inpatient Rehab

As aforementioned, women are lodged in separate quarters than the men. When you arrive at the treatment center of your choosing, you will be admitted and sent to detox. Depending on the type of substance you are addicted to, you will endure withdrawal symptoms. It is vital that the drugs are out of your system before you may begin a rehab program. The duration and intensity of the withdrawal will vary by the individual and their specific drug use, how long they have been using, and how much they have been using.

Some individuals will qualify as medical withdrawal candidates if the symptoms are too intense to bear. Medical professionals will administer medications to help lessen the effects of the withdrawal so that the individual does not go back to using drugs. In fact, this a very large reason why people who choose to detox on their own return to using. It is simply too much for certain people. Put yourself in the caring hands of professionals at a detox facility. They can monitor you around the clock and ensure your comfort and safety.

According to an article in a Harvard Medical School Publication, women’s addiction recovery is a bit different than for a man. Women are more likely to relapse than men. Thus, gender differences may affect treatment.

If you or a loved one is looking for a women’s addiction treatment center, please call better addiction care at (800) 429-7690 The specialists at better addiction care can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.