Silent Shame: Women and Addiction

Drug Alcohol Addiction transcends gender but female addicts face singular challenges and may require somewhat specialized addiction treatment programs as compared to their male counterparts.

Many women are mothers, spouses or primary caregivers as well as full-time employees or employers. The emotional, financial and societal effects on women who are alcohol drug addicts are directly counter to the expectations overwhelmingly placed on them.

Female addicts often face financial challenges that hinder them from getting drug alcohol addiction treatment. Paying for a drug alcohol addiction treatment program on their own without adequate insurance or the financial aid of significant others can prove difficult. It gets worse for women with children because of the social stigma attached it.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reveals that of the more than 7 million females over age 12 in the United States that are addicted to drugs alcohol or in need of care, only 10 percent of these get the necessary addiction treatment. It is also noted that women are two times more likely than men to die from illnesses related to alcohol drug addiction.

Women with children often have a rough time getting alcohol drug addiction treatment as they feel irresponsible, inadequate and ashamed and refuse to seek available addiction treatment options, thus preventing them further from any chance of addiction recovery. Being honest with family members about a hidden drug alcohol addiction or taking time off for inpatient care becomes difficult as mothers worry about what others think. This stigma affects women to a greater degree than men.