Addiction: How Women Differ From Men

In honor of National Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on March 8, Forbes.com ran an article titled “How Women Experience Addiction Differently Than Men.” 

For any of you already in recovery, you’re probably feverishly nodding your head just from reading the title alone. We know that as women we experience unique challenges when it comes to addiction and recovery — challenges that are best met with a female-centric approach to treatment. 

Sadly, until the 1990s when U.S. agencies required federally funded studies to enroll more women, most research on substance use focused on men, explains the author. Today, we are continuing to learn more about the gender difference when it comes to addiction. 

For instance, the article notes how women find it harder to quit and are more vulnerable to relapse. Plus, they experience addiction-related medical or social consequences faster than men. Here are a few more differences, grouped by addictive substance, as outlined within the article: 

• Opioids: Women are more likely to have chronic pain, be prescribed prescription painkillers and at higher doses than men; and become dependent more quickly than men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Alcohol: Women are more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects and develop alcohol dependence faster than men. Biology also makes women more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects, including alcohol-induced organ injury (liver disease and brain damage) as well as an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Nicotine: Once again, female smokers find it harder to quit and are more likely to relapse once they do quit. Female smokers also face greater health risks than male smokers, including a higher likelihood of developing lung cancer or having a heart attack.  

Women and Addiction Recovery
At Rising Roads Recovery, we know that every woman who comes to us is incredibly unique and needs to be treated that way. One size does not fit all – and one future does not work for everyone. To learn more about our addiction treatment programs, call 866-746-1558. 

Why Women May Be More Prone to Drug Abuse

Women are among the fastest-growing segments of drug users in the United States — and they may even be more prone to addiction than men, according to an article in U.S. News & World Report. 

Here’s a summary of some of the reasons listed in the article: 

• Women are more vulnerable to mental illness. And mental disorders, including depression, eating disorders, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, have been linked to an increased risk of substance use disorders. 
• Women have more chronic pain. The result: greater susceptibility to opiate and prescription drug abuse. In fact, women are given higher doses and for longer periods of time than men -- and they become dependent more quickly, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
• Women have higher incidents of trauma, discrimination and stress. These are all intertwined with addiction. As many as 80 percent of women seeking treatment for drug abuse report lifetime histories of sexual and/or physical assault, according to studies. Women are also more likely to experience gender discrimination – and this is linked to higher stress, which is also a risk factor of substance abuse. 
•  Women tend to develop addictions faster. And they often enter into treatment programs with more severe dependence than men.

Gender Differences in Substance Abuse

Luckily, more and more research is focusing on the differences between women and men when it comes to addiction. These findings can only help women get the treatment they need and deserve. 

Here are a few more telling facts about women and drug abuse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

• Women use smaller amounts of certain drugs for less time before they become addicted.
• Women may have more drug cravings and be more likely to relapse after treatment. 
• Sex hormones can make women more sensitive to the effects of some drugs.
• Women may experience more physical effects on their heart and blood vessels.
• Women may be more likely to have panic attacks, anxiety or depression.

Women and Addiction Recovery

At Rising Roads Recovery, we know that every woman who comes to us is incredibly unique and needs to be treated that way. One size does not fit all – and one future does not work for everyone. To learn more, call 866-746-1558. 

4 Myths About Women and Addiction

Men and women are far from equal when it comes to substance use disorders – and, thankfully, more and more research is exploring the gender differences. Still, many myths abound when in comes to women and addiction. Here we take a look at a few common ones and the facts that dispel them. 

Myth: More men than women get addicted to drugs and alcohol.
This used to be true, but the gender gap is closing. Experts say that women are among the fastest-growing segments of drug users in the U.S. Some stats, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD): 

• Up to 4.5 million women over age 12 in the U.S. have a substance use disorder.
• 3.5 million misuse prescription drugs.
• 3.1 million regularly use illicit drugs.
• More than 200,000 American women die as a result of alcoholism and drug dependence.
• More than 4 million women are in need of addiction treatment.

Myth: Women and men begin using for the same reason.
Women are twice as likely to experience anxiety and depression as men – and this often leads to self-medication as a way to manage these mental health conditions. Trauma also plays a role: Seventy four percent of women struggling with addiction reported sexual abuse in their history, according to one of the first studies to examine female addiction. And a large percentage of women seeking treatment for addiction report lifetime histories of emotional abuse and physical assault.

Myth: Pain is an equal driver of addiction for men and women.
In fact, women have been study-proven to suffer more frequently and more intensely from pain – and, in general, they visit more doctors and are more likely to be introduced to opioids through a painkiller prescription. The proportion of women seeking treatment for opioid addiction has grown so much that today the number of men and women in rehab for this addiction is about equal.

Myth: Women and men should be treated for addiction in the same way. 

Women tend to develop addictions faster and more seriously than men. In addition, women have a greater chance of relapse. What’s more, many women are dealing with such treatment barriers as social stigma, co-occurring disorders, trauma and financial constraints – which all make gender-specific treatment even more important. Addiction treatment progresses differently for women, too, and women have a greater chance of relapse.

Women and Addiction Recovery

At Rising Roads Recovery, we know that every woman who comes to us is incredibly unique and needs to be treated that way. One size does not fit all – and one future does not work for everyone. To learn more, call 866-746-1558.