Gender-specific Alcohol Rehab For Women

Only recently did psychologists acknowledge that though alcoholism is a serious disease for both genders, women react to prolonged alcohol use more differently than men. As a woman continues to drink she progressively experiences:

*Depression and loss of self-esteem.
*Loss of connection from a support network.
*Victimization of self.

A gender-specific alcohol rehab takes the experience of a female alcoholic into consideration and customizes the program to address her needs. The most effective gender-specific alcohol rehab would be one that utilizes a multidisciplinary approach, targeting issues that could be occurring at the same time, such as:

*Eating Disorders.
*Sex and Love Addiction.
*Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma).

Reasons Why Women Turn to Alcohol

A good place to start understanding why women turn to alcohol is determining the reasons why she starts to drink. While the reasons are not solely confined to women; they appear more frequently in the case of women compared to men.

*Issues on self-image - The media (magazines, movies, TV) has spawned an unrealistic physical ideal. This leads women to suffer self-image issues for most of their lives, as they are barraged by advertising images of beautiful and slim models and actresses.
*Physical and sexual abuse - When a woman is abused, shame leads her to stay silent and avoid her family and friends. As she slips further into isolation, she finds herself turning to alcohol to numb the pain.
*Co-dependent relationships - Women often over-stay in co-dependent relationships. This means that if their significant other has an alcohol addiction, they may develop the addiction as well, to keep the relationship going. What makes this case more difficult is the fact that she may resist treatment, in an attempt to keep the relationship strong. What actually happens is her boyfriend or husband moves on to another partner, leaving her alone and addicted.

Why is a Gender-Specific Alcohol Rehab Better for Women?

In alcohol rehab, a woman's focus should be on staying sober and getting healthy. The presence of the opposite sex may cause women to lose focus as sexual tension crops up. Starting a relationship in rehab is typically not recommended for patients as it may start another co-dependent relationship cycle.

And while the presence of men, is not a negative aspect while in rehab, it may deter a woman from being open about her own unique experience. Sharing of experiences and fears is a crucial part of sobriety, and a woman may feel more comfortable exposing her vulnerability ONLY in the presence of other women.