Women and Drug Abuse

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:03:02 +0000

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, more than 4 million women use drugs today in America. In the past year alone, 9 million women used drugs illegally and another 50% of all women between the ages of 15 to 44 will try drugs at least once in their lifetime. These troubling numbers are compounded by the fact that many instances of women and drug abuse go unreported. Many women suffer from their drug abuse and addictions silently, secretly hiding their problem from friends and family.

Finding help, therefore, can be a difficult task for women who abuse drugs. Admitting that they have a problem is often difficult particularly when friends and family are unaware of the drug use. Women may deny drug abuse out of fear and shame that their family will be taken away from them if they appear to be unfit caretakers, a stigma associated with women and drug abuse.

Often, women who use drugs have underlying problems which not only exasperate their drug abuse, but are the root cause of it. Women may seek the use of drugs as self-medication for depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. In fact, the link between drug abuse and mental disorders often go hand in hand, complicating the diagnosis and treatment. A special method called dual diagnosis is therefore necessary to assess patients with co-occurring disorders.

Though every rehabilitation program may claim to offer dual diagnosis, only a few have licensed practitioners who specialize in it. Individuals seeking treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse can find more information at HarmonyPlace.net.

By: Y. Tilden

Alcohol Treatment Centers For Women Offer Hope For Women Suffering From Alcohol Addiction

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:03:19 +0000

Alarming statistics on women and alcohol abuse indicates that 9 million women use drugs or alcohol in the U.S. While that number alone is quite worrisome, it does not encompass the millions of women suffering from alcohol abuse in silence as these cases often go unreported. For women secretly suffering from alcohol addiction without any help, their chances of successful recovery are slim to none. In fact, many women without adequate support and treatment see their addictions worsen over time.

Alcohol treatment centers for women often tell stories of how women refuse to seek help for their illness out of fear and shame. Others do not realize that they need help or deny that they have a problem. Many more refuse to get help because they feel they have failed their families in some way. No matter the reasons for turning away treatment, help is available and necessary for many women battling alcohol addiction.

For women suffering from alcohol abuse, there are several treatment centers designed exclusively for women. The best option, especially for women seeking intensive care, is to choose a smaller treatment facility that can provide personalized attention and treatment plans. A smaller facility is also likely to offer a range of comprehensive treatment options and various therapeutic approaches that can be tailored to fit the needs of the individual. With personalized attention, therapists at smaller facilities may be better able to diagnose the dual disorders that co-occur with alcohol addiction, allowing for proper treatment for these underlying problems. This is often a more beneficial method to treatment because it helps to improve the behavioral patterns that have caused the alcohol abuse in the first place.

By: Y. Tilden

Women health center » Shame

Women and Drug Abuse

Alcohol Treatment Centers For Women Offer Hope For Women Suffering From Alcohol Addiction