Addiction affects people in different ways, specifically when it comes to gender—this is what makes women’s sober living crucial for the recovery process. It’s vital for women battling an addiction to communicate and express their experiences in an environment they can feel comfortable in. Otherwise, they may feel the need to suppress their feelings, and this is where progress breaks down.Focusing on your recovery without the need to worry about keeping your thoughts reserved is the best way to approach healing. Here is what you need to know about women’s rehabilitation and why it’s so important.
Women and Addiction
Statistics show that men are more prone to abuse substances, but this shouldn’t downplay the intensity at which drugs affect women. For starters, they’re more susceptible to other risks and tend to suffer more neurological and mental damage from substance abuse. Unfortunately, women are also more likely to experience sexual and physical assault while abusing substances. Consequently, there is a higher chance of an unplanned pregnancy, during which substance abuse puts the child at risk of developing severe disabilities and can even lead to death. Other psychological challenges that women face with addiction include things like:
Addiction progression: Women can metabolize drugs and alcohol faster than men. This paves a quicker path to addiction.
Shame and denial: Women may have a more challenging time admitting when they need help because they’re natural caregivers and feel they need to put others first.
Isolation: Women are more communal than men, and not finding that community to help when faced with addiction can be crippling to their mental health.
Some health-related issues women face as a result of substance abuse include the following:
Liver disease
Increased risk of strokes and hypertension
Premature menopause
Heart disease
Seizures
Brain damage
The effects that women face due to addiction are detrimental to their livelihood. This is why seeking women’s sober living is of the utmost importance.
How to Know If Someone Needs Treatment
It’s essential to recognize the warning signs of addiction so that you can take the necessary steps to get the individual the help they need. If you notice that an individual has been doing these things, it’s time to get in touch with a recovery center.
They are neglecting school, work, and family responsibilities.
They are facing legal issues due to drug abuse.
They keep relapsing after they stop using the substance for some time.
They are engaging in reckless and erratic behavior.
They are hiding their substance use from others.
They are suffering from noticeable health deterioration.
The Benefits of Women’s Sober Living Programs
The main benefits of a women’s rehab program are the safety and comfort it brings. The atmosphere of being surrounded by other women whom they can relate to creates a judgment-free environment. It’s much easier for people to open up when they feel safe, and this is the only effective way to address the issues at hand. Of course, there are so many other benefits that come with women’s sober living, all of which are more reasons to consider a women’s rehab program.
Peer Support
A stable support system is a framework that makes recovery more achievable and less intimidating. Women’s therapy helps individuals tackle their substance abuse, along with other trauma, together— there’s nothing that brings people together more than the common ground of significant life events. Relatability is the glue that holds together certain relationships and plays a pivotal role in group rehabilitation settings. Sometimes, all someone needs is a sense of community and encouragement to ignite change. It’s that change that helps someone get through recovery with minimal complications.
Fewer Distractions
There are instances where co-ed therapy can be distracting to some individuals. This can stem from the tension between two individuals or feelings of discomfort opening up in front of members of the opposite sex. This isn’t to say that distractions won’t occur in gender-specific therapy; the main thing that can derail an individual’s process is that they may only feel comfortable opening up to others of the same gender. Women may also neglect their personal well-being while focusing on taking care of their family members. Women’s rehabilitation allows them to shed those responsibilities for the necessary time to focus on improving themselves and getting their lives back on track— this ultimately helps the family come together again.
Provides an Opportunity to Open Up About Gender-Specific Issues
Coinciding with comfort, women’s sober living provides women with the opportunity to speak out about gender-specific issues with other women. There are specific experiences that they face in life that men can’t relate to, and women’s rehab allows them to discuss these experiences without the fear of being judged or dismissed. There’s nothing more harmful to recovery than negativity and judgment. When you eliminate the potential for these things, you get an environment that cultivates personal growth and motivation to leave old habits behind.
Dynamic Support
Recovery treatments aren’t limited to group sessions. Gender-specific treatment takes a multidisciplinary approach to the recovery process. Women that go in for women’s rehabilitation can expect treatments such as:
Individual counseling
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectal Behavioral Therapy
Dual diagnosis treatment that addresses co-occurring mental disorders such as depression and anxiety
Holistic treatments such as wilderness therapy, art therapy, and adventure therapy
Aftercare programs
Women’s sober living homes
No one program is going to work for everyone. When a recovery center offers various treatment options for women looking to get sober, that’s when they’re able to help out their communities as effectively as possible.
Escape Addiction with Ardu Recovery Center
If you or a woman in your life is looking for a way to leave substance abuse behind, we’re ready to help. Ardu Recovery Center has the tools and resources necessary for effective women’s sober living. We strive to make sure that every woman who enters our facility can leave feeling supported and set up for a life of success throughout their at-home recovery process. Give us a call today at 801-512-0086 to start your journey toward a better life.
