Gender and addiction impact each other in many ways that are sometimes subtle. There are major differences in how men and women become addicted to substances and respond to treatment. The reasons for those differences can be biological as well as social and cultural. Contact the Willows at Red Oak Recovery today to learn more about our women’s addiction treatment center in Ashville, NC.
Different Rates of Addiction Between Men and Women
Men and women have countless differences between them. One example is their rates of developing substance use disorders, seeking treatment, and making a recovery. According to government research, men are more likely to use illegal drugs than women. They are also more likely to wind up in the emergency room for abuse of those drugs. And, they have higher rates of dependency on alcohol and drugs than women do.
That’s not to say that women have an advantage over men when it comes to the dangers of substance abuse. In fact, men and women have roughly the same likelihood of developing substance abuse disorders. Additionally, women are more likely to crave addictive substances and experience relapse.
For those reasons, men and women tend to benefit from different methods of addiction treatment. It follows that a woman’s treatment program should be different than a man’s treatment plan.
Gender and Addiction: Responses to Treatment
Thankfully for the field of substance abuse treatment, the difference between the two genders and their response to treatment is a common subject of scientific study. Given the above information, that makes perfect sense as men and women tend to experience addiction differently. Indeed, there is plenty of evidence that shows that men and women not only seek treatment in different ways, but they also respond to treatment differently.
According to research from 2015, women tend to enter treatment sooner than men when you look at the times between their first use of a substance and the day they enter treatment.
The above finding is likely related to a woman’s response to drug abuse. Research indicates that women tend to experience more stress and anxiety from their misuse of a substance. There are obvious treatment implications there. Addressing stress and anxiety plays a major role when it comes to the treatment of substance abuse and the prevention of relapse in women.
Single-Gender Treatment Facilities
Some women and men actively seek out the use of single-gender treatment facilities. Doing so can raise their comfort level, lower their stress, and boost their chances of successful recovery. Fortunately for those people, research shows that single-gender treatment facilities can be very effective.
A 2011 study compared women-only treatment facilities to mixed-gender treatment facilities. The study found that women-only facilities had lower rates of substance abuse and lower rates of criminal activity.
Indeed, many people are simply more comfortable with receiving treatment in a single-gender facility. It can be for many reasons. The presence of people of the opposite gender can cause distractions during recovery. Also, the person in recovery might have previous trauma related to the opposite gender.
Since different therapies and treatment strategies work better for each gender, it makes sense that a single-gender treatment program can be more impactful for the individual. A good treatment program includes trauma therapy and a supportive environment to help clients start on the path of healing.
If you are suffering from an addiction, you do not have to face it alone. Our treatment services are here for you to help you lead a better life. Contact us today through our website, or call 855.773.0614 for more information about The Willows at Red Oak Recovery.
