Rehab for Women: Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment

If you are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, determining which type of treatment can help you overcome your addiction once and for all can feel overwhelming. But, finding addiction treatment that treats the whole person and meets your unique needs may play a role in treatment effectiveness, as can participating in a program that honors your personal preferences, such as a gender-specific program.¹

It is not uncommon for some people in recovery to feel more comfortable in a gender-specific setting, which is why men’s or women’s only rehab facilities offer the same levels of care with services and programs tailored to the distinctive needs of each gender.

If you identify as female and are seeking help for an addiction to drugs or alcohol, this article can help you understand what to expect from a women’s only rehab program and how to find the help you need.

How Do Substances Affect Women Differently?

There are numerous risk factors for addiction for both genders; however, there are certain factors that can affect women differently than men due to biological differences and/or the specific cultural expectations placed on women.^2,3 For example:²

• Sex hormones may make women more sensitive to certain substances.
• Issues related to intimate partner violence can put women at increased risk for substance use.
• Women are more likely to experience cravings or suffer relapse after treatment.
• Drugs and alcohol can have increased effects on the brain, heart, and blood vessels in women than in men.

Additional biological differences in female body structure and chemistry can cause women to absorb and metabolize substances differently than men, particularly alcohol, opioids, and benzodiazepines.³ Consider the following:

• After drinking the same amount of alcohol, a woman’s blood alcohol level is likely to be higher, and the effects of alcohol usually impact women more quickly and for longer durations than men.³
• With opioids, women are more likely than men to experience greater sedative properties and respiratory depression.
• Benzodiazepines typically have a longer duration of action with women than they do with men due to larger fat stores in females versus males.⁴

It is important to note that while women are less likely than men to use alcohol and almost all illicit types of drugs, they are just as likely as men to develop a substance use disorder.⁵ Additionally, women often report using smaller amounts of a substance for shorter periods of time before their substance use progresses into dependence and addiction.²

Risks of Alcohol Misuse for Women

Alcohol misuse and addiction pose specific risks for women and additional risks for those who are pregnant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 4% of women overall in the U.S. have an alcohol use disorder (AUD).³ Using alcohol during pregnancy can increase the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects.³

Health risks associated with unhealthy alcohol consumption in women include the following:³

• Liver disease (including cirrhosis), which women are at higher risk of developing than men are.
• Cognitive changes and decline, which develops more quickly in women than in men.
• Breast and other cancers like mouth, liver, and colon.
• Damage to the heart muscle, which can occur at lower levels of alcohol use in women than men.

In addition to the health risks related to alcohol misuse, women who drink heavily or binge drink are also at greater risk for sexual assault and other forms of violence.³ Obtaining professional treatment as quickly as possible may help reduce these and other risks.

Addiction Treatment Needs for Women

Regardless of what type of treatment program you choose, whether inpatient or outpatient, short-term (28-30 days) or long-term (60 days, 90 days or longer), it’s important that your treatment plan is customized to your individual needs and continually evaluated and adjusted as needed.¹ This is especially important because the recovery process for women may progress differently than for men.²

Services and other characteristics to consider if you are looking for a women’s only rehab program include: ^2,5,6

• Medical care like gynecology and treatment for infectious diseases.
• Programs to support pregnant women through withdrawal, which include medications like methadone and buprenorphine.
• Supervised withdrawal that accounts for the potential of more intense symptoms.
• Prenatal care, family planning, and childcare support.
• Understanding of a woman’s metabolism and how that may affect the use of certain treatments.
• Treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which women are more likely to suffer from than men.
• Screening and support for intimate partner violence.
• Support for unique issues that face women of color.
• Whole-person treatment that addresses physical, psychological, vocational, social, and legal needs.
• Treatment and therapies that help boost self-esteem.

Why Women May Avoid Addiction Treatment

There are fewer women and more men in treatment for substance use disorders. However, women who are in treatment often have more severe medical, behavioral, psychological, and social problems, and this is likely because women’s progression from first using a substance to developing dependence is much quicker than it is for men.⁵ In studies on treatment outcomes, women who receive treatment for a substance use disorder often fare better than men.⁷

Some may find women-only programs meet their needs better and reduce some of the barriers to getting treatment.⁷ However, women may be reluctant to enter addiction treatment for several reasons. In particular, the burden of balancing work and home responsibilities with going to treatment may feel overwhelming.⁵ A few other reasons women may not seek treatment include the following:^5,6

• Stigma related to getting addiction treatment.
• Lack of partner or family support.
• Lack of childcare.
• Financial hardship.
• Pregnancy and fear of losing children to authorities.
• Limited time to attend treatment.

Women who choose to enter treatment, whether a co-ed program or a women’s only rehab program, will still experience similar treatment methods. Research suggests that gender-specific treatment is no more or less effective than programs that include both men and women.⁷

Treatment Methods Used at Women’s Rehabs

The methods used at women’s only rehab programs are typically like those used in other addiction treatment programs. However, special focus may be placed on catering to the needs of women, including addressing gender-related issues such as pre- and post-natal care.⁶

Common programs and services found at women’s rehabs may include:

• Individual and group therapy. Drug and alcohol treatment centers often use several methods of evidence-based psychotherapies in individual and group therapy sessions , such cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to help women understand reasons for substance misuse and identify and cope with situations that are likely to result in a relapse.
• Community support. The women in these programs often experience a shared sense of community that allows them to better understand each other’s problems. This environment also allows them to discuss their experiences more openly and establish a support network for after treatment.
• Medications. If necessary, some women may be prescribed medications during detoxification to help ease withdrawal symptoms. A therapist or psychiatrist may also recommend medications like antidepressants to help with co-occurring disorders.

Diagnosing and Treating Co-Occurring Disorders

Women struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol may also have co-occurring mental health disorders. The standard of care for treating substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions (sometimes also referred to as having a “dual diagnosis”) is to take an integrated approach to treatment, and to address both issues concurrently.⁶

Some common co-occurring mental health disorders women may have alongside a substance use disorder include:⁶

• Anxiety disorders.
• Post-partum depression.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Eating disorders.
• Mood disorders.

When co-occurring conditions aren’t properly treated, women may be at increased risk for relapse, poor psychosocial functioning, health problems, or even suicidal behavior.⁶ If you or a loved one have a dual diagnosis, seeking a women’s only treatment program that treats co-occurring disorders may be a helpful and effective option.

Find an Addiction Treatment Program for Women

If you are a woman struggling with addiction or know a woman who is, help is available. There are several resources and addiction treatment facilities available to help you get the treatment and support you need, like the compassionate admissions navigators at American Addiction Centers. Our confidential, free helpline is open 24/7 to help you find treatment, check your insurance and provide resources so you can begin your recovery journey and start living a healthy, full life. You can contact AAC at at . Our advisors can help you understand your treatment options and learn how to pay for rehabilitation.

Insurance Providers

Learn more about insurance providers for addiction treatment: