Research indicates that women can become addicted quickly to certain drugs, such as crack cocaine, even after casual or experimental use. Therefore, by the time a woman enters treatment she may be severely addicted, making treatment more difficult. This is also true when a woman becomes dependent on prescription painkillers.

Treatment should include an evaluation of other serious health problems associated with drug abuse. For women, some of these problems are:

• Poor nutrition and below-average weight
• Low self-esteem
• Depression
• Physical abuse
• If pregnant, pre-term labor or early delivery
• Serious medical problems (increased blood pressure and heart rate, _-STDs, HIV/AIDS, etc.)

Many drug addicted women do not seek treatment because they are afraid, they worry they won’t be able to keep or care for their children, they fear reprisal from their spouses or boyfriends, and they fear punishment from authorities in the community. Many women report that their drug-using male sex partners initiated them into drug abuse and then sabotaged their efforts to quit using drugs.

Research indicates that more than 4 million women need treatment for drug abuse. Unfortunately, there are some significant reasons, as stated above, why many women do not seek help. Research shows that women receive the most benefit from drug treatment programs that provide comprehensive services for meeting their basic needs, including access to:

• Food, clothing, and shelter
• Transportation
• Job counseling and training
• Legal assistance
• Literacy training and educational opportunities
• Parenting training
• Family therapy
• Medical care
• Child care
• Social services
• Social support
• Psychological assessment and mental health care
• Assertiveness training
• Family planning services.

Traditional male-oriented drug treatment programs may not be appropriate for women because those programs may not provide these services. Research also indicates that for women in particular, treatment is more successful when they stay in regular touch with their treatment provider. After completing a drug treatment program, women also need services to assist them in sustaining their recovery and in rejoining the community.

A toll-free 24-hour hotline is available to provide confidential answers to women seeking help for themselves or for someone they care about, or to assist women into treatment for drug addiction. Please call 1-877-338-6962 for help.

Detox Center
For Women

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