According to the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) roughly 16 million women in the United States use drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and opiates. Roughly 5 million women also suffer from alcohol abuse. Although alcohol and drug abuse affect men and women without regard for sex, there are differences in the way drugs and alcohol affect women and difference in the way drug and alcohol abuse should be treated for women. Which is they will need to find addiction help for women in Oregon to receive the best treatment.
Substance Abuse and Women
Although women participate in substance abuse as men do, drugs and alcohol do affect men and women differently. Which is where a womens rehab program comes into play.
Women face different issues in regards to substance abuse, including differences based on biology and culturally defined roles and expectations.
Studies indicate that women who use drugs may experience issues due to hormones, menstruation, pregnancy, fertility, breastfeeding, and menopause. Women also express different reasons for becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol, including losing weight, pain control, fighting exhaustion and dealing with emotional issues such as depression and anxiety.
Women also tend to use drugs and alcohol differently than men:
- They use smaller amounts of some drugs for less time before becoming addicted.
- Women may respond to various drugs differently than men. Women may experience greater cravings for drugs and alcohol and may be at greater risk for relapse.
- Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone may make women more susceptible to the effects of some drugs compared to men.
- Women tend to be more susceptible to key phases of the drug addiction process, including initiation, binging and relapse.
- Women appear to be more susceptible to the effects of drug abuse on their heart and blood vessels.
- Substance abuse is more likely to be triggered by domestic violence in women than men.
In addition to these issues, substance abuse while pregnant can lead to a wide variety of issues, including birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome and low birth weight.
Addiction Help for Women in Oregon
If you are experiencing substance abuse issues and are seeking addiction help for women in Oregon, try to find a women’s rehab program that specializes in treatment for women. Because women experience drug and alcohol addiction differently than men, rehabilitation treatment should be different as well.
Women who abuse drugs and alcohol are often involved in troubled relationships, including sexual abuse and/or domestic abuse. In these cases, women may feel uncomfortable going through drug rehabilitation with men. Other advantages to a women-only drug rehabilitation program include:
- Women only programs may address the unique needs of women such as childcare or parenting classes.
- Women only rehabilitation programs are attuned to the requirements of women such as pregnancy, menopause, and menstruation.
Substance abuse programs for women should offer a variety of options, including outpatient and inpatient programs ranging from 30 days or more. A drug rehabilitation program should also offer withdrawal management based on the client’s needs and the type of drug. If you are trying to end the nightmare of substance abuse, the most important thing is to seek help immediately with addiction help for women in Oregon.
