Women and Addiction

Addiction affects both men and women, but it influences women uniquely in that it makes them confront things like stigma and childcare issues. Women who are trying to enter a treatment program or begin a life of sobriety on their own are often faced with a number of challenges, especially if they have children. There is a certain role that many women who are mothers feel they should be carrying out - that of the nurturing caregiver, who holds the family together. Admitting they have a problem can be difficult, especially with the knowledge that receiving proper treatment in an addiction treatment or recovery center will mean that someone else has to take care of the kids, sometimes for over a month. Often receiving proper treatment isn't an option, especially for single moms, because they aren't able to take off work for that long and also find someone to watch the children. The Right Step understands these issues that women face and offers affordable substance abuse treatment in many locations across the southwest U.S. We are committed to helping women overcome their alcohol or drug problems and get back to living their lives.

Statistics on Substance Abuse Among Women

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University published a book in 2006 entitled "Women Under The Influence" which contains many alarming facts and statistics about women's dependency on alcohol and drugs. The following are some of the findings:

• 6 million women in the U.S. abuse or are dependent on alcohol
• Frequent binge drinking in women's colleges increased by 124% between 1993 and 2001
• Alcohol is involved in as many as 73% of all rapes and up to 70% of all incidents of domestic violence
  
• More than 7.5 million girls/women misuse or abuse prescription drugs
• Women are up to 48% more likely than men to be prescribed a narcotic or anti-anxiety drugs
• Women who use sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs, or hypnotics are almost twice as likely as men to become addicted
• More than 2.5 million women abuse or are dependent on illegal drugs
• Two out of three AIDS cases in American women are associated with drug abuse

Treatment for Women at The Right Step

These statistics indicate that drug abuse among women is indeed a serious problem that must be addressed. Among specific drugs, women are more likely than men to become addicted to or dependent on sedatives and drugs for treating anxiety or sleeplessness. This is not surprising, given the highly stressful, multiple roles some women must play, including but not limited to wife, mother, daughter, caregiver, and employee. While nearly one in three people in treatment for substance abuse is a woman, in 2003 5.7 million women who needed treatment for an alcohol problem and 2.4 million who needed treatment for an illegal drug problem did not receive it. However, there is hope. The Right Step offers its treatment programs to both women and men and has a history of helping people overcome their addiction to drugs and alcohol. Providing the highest quality, affordable, state-of-the-art addiction treatment - that's the mission we've been carrying out since 1990 and will continue to offer for years to come.