Addiction does not occur because of a lack of willpower or an unwillingness to stop. It is a chronic illness accompanied by significant changes in the brain. While both men and women can become addicted to drugs or alcohol, women often use drugs differently, respond to drugs differently and can have unique obstacles when it comes to receiving effective treatments.
How do women process addiction treatment differently than men?
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests gender affects susceptibility, recovery and risk of relapse. Until the 1990s, most research on substance use and dependence had been focused on men. However, a better appreciation of gender differences has helped addiction-focused clinicians effectively treat women with addiction and achieve lasting sobriety.
“…considerable research has shown that there are important ways in which the course of drug use and treatment participation differs for men and women.”
- From US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health; Gender Similarities and Differences in the Treatment, Relapse, and Recovery Cycle
There are key gender differences when it comes to how men and women initiate drug use, experience dependency, initiate treatment and navigate recovery. Women tend to engage in successive treatment episodes and participate in self-help more often than men. Women are also much more likely to be influenced by interpersonal relationships and treatment participation as compared to men.
At Pavillon, your treatment will be tailored exclusively to your unique needs and circumstances. We help women in recovery navigate many gender-specific obstacles, including:
- Parenting
Pavillon Treatment Center helps men and women overcome addiction in a manner that allows them to safely care for their children. They also help parents manage the shame associated with having an addiction and frees them from the grip of addictive substances. - Domestic abuse
Victims of domestic abuse, which are overwhelmingly female, have an increased risk of chronic health conditions, including obesity, chronic pain, depression and substance use. Our clinicians take time to understand the complexity of the problem, learn how domestic abuse affects the substance use (and vice versa) and how each interferes with the progress of the other. - Mental health disorders
Our clinicians are trained to skillfully and compassionately guide you through traumatic life experiences while in addiction treatment.
The women’s addiction treatment program at Pavillon focuses on the proven techniques of self-regulation, self-care and emotional safety. Call 828-383-8268 to learn how our personalized treatment programs can be tailored to meet your specific needs.