Drug addiction creates changes in women that are often quite different than what can be expected from men. A substance abuse treatment program may be one of the best tools you have for overcoming these changes and rebuilding a future you are proud of calling your own. Yet, many women struggle to realize they need help. They also are unsure how they can step away from life to enter into substance abuse treatment.
How to Know You Need Substance Abuse Treatment
As with most diseases, the symptoms you have may be significantly different from another person’s. Yet, you may benefit from a women’s drug rehab program if you are experiencing symptoms such as the following:
- Using drugs as a way to break free from past memories or to deal with trauma
- Needing drugs or alcohol to help deal with the stress and pressures of daily life
- Struggling to balance responsibilities at home, work, or school due to the need to use
- Being anxious or paranoid when unable to gain access to substances, sometimes with panic attacks
- Feeling depressed or using drugs and alcohol as a way to manage feelings of depression
Women who are using drugs do so often to deal with past trauma. One of the signs that a person may be in need of treatment is an inability to deal with the difficulties of that trauma. For example, many use these substances to hide the symptoms of sexual or physical abuse. Some may use substances as a way to not feel the intensity of flashbacks and memories. In these situations, treatment for both the trauma and the addiction at the same time is critical.
Could Your Loved One Need Treatment?
Sometimes it is harder to notice when a loved one needs substance abuse treatment because you cannot see their thoughts or all of their behaviors. If you are wondering if a loved one needs access to a women’s drug rehab program, look for signs such as:
- Pulling away from friends or family, especially when they were close to those individuals in the past
- Struggling to meet responsibilities such as failing to show up for appointments or do things they say they will
- Spending more time in isolation, often using drugs or alcohol in hiding (this can occur even when a person has used drugs or alcohol with loved ones)
- Physical changes including changes in hygiene, overall health, and eating habits, often looking weak and unkept
In these situations, it may be critical to step up and offer some help. Find out if a Portland women’s addiction treatment center can help by calling and requesting help for a loved one. Then, work closely with others close to the person with an addiction to encourage them to get treatment. Many women are less likely to reach out for help unless they are encouraged and supported through the process. That’s why it is so important for someone to step up and offer that help.
What Are the Benefits of Substance Abuse Treatment for Women?
Women struggling with addiction need support. Many will thrive in treatment. This allows them time to overcome the challenges they face, including mental health disorders, past trauma, and work-life balance. Women also thrive with the support system that is created during treatment. This allows them a safe place to detox and start working on rebuilding their life. That includes dealing with all aspects of healing, including mind, body, and spirit.
When a person has signs of addiction, it may take some time to get them to make the decision to get treatment. Yet, treatment can change the course of someone’s life, often improving it in many ways. The key is taking that first step in calling to inquire about treatment.