Every man, woman, or person responds to the effects of alcohol and drugs differently. While men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illicit drugs, women also suffer from addiction. To increase their chances of recovering fully, some individuals need to approach the treatment of their addiction from a gender-specific viewpoint at a gender specific rehab.
But before you are able to make an informed decision about which type of rehab to go to, you need to know what gender-based rehab centers are, why they exist, and how Anchored Tides Recovery can help struggling women with their addiction.
What Is Gender Specific Rehab?
Just like it sounds, gender-specific rehabs are addiction treatment centers that cater only to one gender. There are men-only and women-only rehab centers, just as they have mixed-gender rehab centers. These rehab centers are becoming increasingly popular as more research is done on how addiction affects genders differently.
Despite the general effects of addiction on both genders, there are core effects specific to each gender. In addition to this, several types of research have shown that men and women struggle with treatment issues specific to their gender.
The idea behind gender specific rehab is to have a safe space where each gender receives treatment tailored to suit their struggles with addiction and mental health. Also, gender specific rehabs understand everything from co-occurring disorders and factors that affect addiction in all genders to the best treatment programs.
How Does Addiction Impact Women?
Addiction has general effects on all types of people, but when it comes to a specific gender, there are specific effects. These effects stem from the biological and gender differences between men and women.
In women, addiction affects the hormones and body functions related to hormonal changes. This can include mensuration, pregnancy, fertility, menopause, and breastfeeding.
Other impacts of addiction in women include:
- Women are more likely to have a relapse
- Women experience more effects on the heart and blood vessels
- Addiction alters the brain of women in slightly different ways than it does men
- Women addicts are more likely to suffer from depression and panic attacks
- Addiction affects the size of babies in successful pregnancies and leads to stillbirths in unsuccessful ones
- Escalation of addiction happens quicker in women
How Does Addiction Impact Men?
Just how addiction affects women in specific ways, the same holds true for men:
- Men are less likely to relapse
- Men use more illicit drugs than women
- Men smoke more marijuana than women
- Men have milder withdrawal symptoms than women
- The escalation of addiction in men is slower than in women
Now, when trying to determine the type of rehab you want to go to, you’ll probably ask yourself at some point if you want to go to a gender-specific rehab. The truth is, there is no right or wrong answer to this question and ultimately it is your decision to make.
If you are a woman and you feel in general you have a difficult time opening up around the opposite gender, then you may want to consider women only treatment. The point of rehab is to get the most out of it, therefore you will want to feel as comfortable as possible there.
Addiction Treatment at Anchored Tides Recovery
Anchored Tides Recovery is a women-only rehab in Huntington Beach that offers gender-specific programs to help women deal with addiction. Some of the programs we offer include women’s programs, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient programs, and more.
At Anchored Tides Recovery, we believe in tailored treatment programs for our clients. In addition to the excellence our programs offer, our staff’s dedication to helping women find healing and purpose after addiction is unmeasurable. If you need a gender specific rehab, don’t wait; reach out to us today for help with your addiction!
