Women often start treatment for addiction with much more serious medical, behavioral, psychological, and social problems. When it comes to drug abuse and addiction, women have very different experiences than men. As we detailed in a previous article, women adopt high-risk behaviors (such as drug abuse) more quickly than their male counterparts. Women also develop clinical addiction more quickly than men and are more likely to experience negative health effects from drug abuse.
In addition, women have a harder time quitting drugs than men and are more susceptible to drug cravings. These gender differences, and many more, pose unique challenges for women trying to live sober. In general, men and women are just as likely as others to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. However, women go from first use to addiction much faster than men.
They tend to increase their rate of drug abuse (whether by drinking alcohol, snorting cocaine, or smoking marijuana) more rapidly than their male counterparts, posing inherent health risks. This makes recovery and living sober even more difficult for women, because they have to overcome more serious obstacles. The fact is that drug abuse has a significant impact on the body. Opioid abuse and addiction, for example, can lead to malnutrition, and stimulants can cause unhealthy weight loss.
In a similar vein, drunkenness can result in anemia and diseases of the liver. A person who is addicted to a substance may also experience feelings of depression, anxiety, and other mental problems, all of which can have a negative impact on both their mental and physical well-being. But this only accounts for the consequences in the long run. Abuse of substances on a consistent basis can result in hangovers, agonizing withdrawal symptoms, and a compromised immune system.
Additionally, it has the potential to dehydrate the body and rob it of necessary vitamins and antioxidants. There is evidence that more women than men suffer with having more than one mental illness at the same time. Your risk of suffering from depression is increased by a factor of two. In addition, postpartum depression affects a significant number of women after they have given child.
When battling addiction, it is very uncommon for women to simultaneously suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety as well as other mental diseases. Due to the fact that it can be challenging to recognize symptoms, mental problems are frequently recognized after treatment for substance abuse is completed. Finding a treatment facility that treats specific addictions as well as certain mental health illnesses is essential if one wishes to have the best possible chance of recovering from their addiction. The objective of providing residents of sober living with the chance to take the required preparatory steps to fully reintegrate into society and further strengthen the foundations of recovery is the primary goal of this type of treatment.
However, in the state of California, a large number of SLH are associated with coalitions or associations that monitor health, safety, quality, and adherence to a peer-oriented recovery model. Examples of these coalitions and associations include the Sober Living Network and the California Addiction Recovery Resource Association (CAARR) (SLN). For this reason, it is essential to locate a rehabilitation facility or sober living environment that caters specifically to women and is aware of the intricacies associated with dual illnesses. When combined with outpatient treatment, SLH can be especially helpful to low-income communities that lack the financial means to establish residential treatment programs or the levels of income required to maintain independent and sober housing, which is more expensive. These communities may also lack the resources necessary to maintain sober living environments due to a lack of employment opportunities. Even if they receive help, they may decide against seeking recovery in a sober living setting for concern that it will require them to be absent from their family for a longer period of time.
Many of the temptations that residents in mixed-gender sober living facilities are exposed to are eliminated when they move into gender-specific sober living facilities. On the other hand, if you are currently fighting an addiction to alcohol or drugs, a life free of those substances might not look like a better alternative to you when you get there. A home for sober women will place a greater emphasis on providing support tailored specifically to meet the need of women going through this transition. Residents will be able to make the transition back to society with the support of an integrated network of other sober women, which is something that can be highly essential to a person's sustained success. This will be accomplished by shifting to a sober life that is just for women.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions about the treatment programs and sober living houses that Turnbridge offers for women. Women who have been through traumatic experiences might find healing in a living environment that is sober, safe, trigger-free, and filled with other women who have been in their shoes. They give newly sober people with a secure environment that is free of drugs and alcohol and that has living arrangements that are controlled and supportive before allowing them to return to their homes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends at least 90 days of treatment for greatest effectiveness, but the average duration of stay in both types of homes for sober persons was more than double that amount of time.
If a member of your family is in need of reliable drug treatment or a clean and sober living environment, you may be at a loss as to where to turn or what steps to do next. Call Turnbridge at their toll-free number, 877-581-1793, right away to get started on the road to recovery or to find out more about the advantages of leading a sober lifestyle. If you want to feel safe and be able to heal without the influence of men, finding a sober living environment that is only for women is the best way to accomplish this goal.
