Women seeking treatment for drug or alcohol addiction should consider gender-specific treatment. Women face issues in recovery that are different from those that men face. The reasons behind their substance abuse as well as the types of substances they abuse differ when compared to men. Addiction also tends to progress more rapidly for women than for men and women also have a higher rate of relapse than men.[1]
Women’s rehab programs in New Jersey take these differences into account. At a female-centered treatment program, women explore and learn to cope with the problems they face in addiction. Women’s-only rehab provides women with a safe space to recover from addiction while receiving the specialized care they need.
Understanding What Gender-Specific Treatment Is
Men and women are treated separately during gender-specific treatment. These programs enable women to focus not only on generalized issues in addiction but also on ones that are distinctive to their gender.
Women experience addiction differently than men. They are more likely to abuse different drugs such as prescription pills and alcohol as opposed to men. They are also more likely to self-medicate for mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.[1]
In addition to this, women are also faced with different social issues that men don’t have to cope with. This is especially true of mothers struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. As women are expected to be the main caretakers for children, they have the additional obstacle of finding childcare in order to receive treatment for their addiction and navigating motherhood in sobriety.[2]
What is Women’s Rehab in New Jersey Like?
During women’s specific treatment, topics that focus on female issues will be at the forefront of the treatment program. In traditional drug and alcohol rehabilitation, issues for both men and women are discussed.
By attending a women’s-only treatment program, a person receives the most they possibly can out of treatment. This is because all of the time will be spent discussing problems that are pertinent to women, meaning that they do not need to sit in on discussions about men that are not relevant to them.
Women’s specific treatment also encourages fellowship among women in recovery. Women learn to rely on each other for support. This is especially beneficial for women coming from co-dependent or abusive relationships with men. Female-focused treatment centers provide a safe, nurturing environment for women to process the driving forces in their addiction and heal from them.
Who Can Benefit From Women’s Specific Treatment in New Jersey?
Many women will benefit from women’s rehab in New Jersey, but some will find it more beneficial than others. There are many problems that women will encounter during addiction and it’s important to address all of them. Here are just a few.
Women in Unhealthy Relationships
A large number of women entering treatment for addiction are coming from abusive relationships. This could be in the form of physical or mental abuse. 1 in 3 women have experienced some form of physical violence alone during their lifetime.[3]
It is also important to take family relationships into account. Women who have high amounts of responsibility in the family have higher rates of substance abuse.[4] This could be women who are the main caretakers and financial providers for the family.
These women often feel uncomfortable and even unsafe around men. During women-only treatment, they will have the time that they need to heal from these unhealthy relationships away from men. It allows them to speak openly about the trauma they faced without the fear of being judged by men.
Women With Mental Health Disorders
It is not uncommon for people entering treatment for drug and alcohol addiction to have co-occurring mental health disorders. Among women, these disorders tend to have a much more severe presentation and require more specialized care than men.[4]
Women have a higher tendency to self-medicate for existing disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The practice of self-medicating perpetuates the cycle of substance abuse and worsening mental health. Women’s specific treatment will focus on getting to the root cause of these disorders and teach women healthy ways to cope with them.
Women Who Are Pregnant
Pregnant women suffering from substance use disorder are subject to ridicule and high levels of stigmatization from society. They usually feel a lot of shame associated with their substance abuse during pregnancy and commonly delay treatment because of that shame.
Drugs and alcohol abuse during pregnancy causes considerable harm to the fetus, which results in life-long health complications for the child or even stillbirth.[5] Women’s-only rehab centers in New Jersey are sensitive to the additional problems that pregnant women face during addiction and recovery. They will be able to provide pregnant women with treatment for their addiction in addition to finding them prenatal care to protect their unborn child.
Find a Women’s Rehab in New Jersey Today
Women in addiction face many additional obstacles when seeking drug and alcohol treatment. Female-specific treatment addresses those issues, allowing women to recover from the addiction. Providing such specialized care to women ensures they receive the best treatment possible and helps to prevent future relapse. At New Jersey Interventions, our women’s program provides you with all the tools you need for a successful recovery.
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/sex-gender-differences-in-substance-use
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/sex-gender-differences-in-substance-use-disorder-treatment
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/other-sex-gender-issues-women-related-to-substance-use
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ellen-Tuchman/publication/43227854_Women_and_Addiction_The_Importance_of_Gender_Issues_in_Substance_Abuse_Research/links/00b7d53287b97279c2000000/Women-and-Addiction-The-Importance-of-Gender-Issues-in-Substance-Abuse-Research.pdf
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/substance-use-in-women/substance-use-while-pregnant-breastfeeding
Medically Reviewed: April 27, 2021
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.