Female detox is for the significant numbers of women who are struggling to overcome a substance abuse problem. Even though both genders have significant numbers of people trying to overcome the problem, the dynamics of substance abuse play out differently for men and women.
For example, studies suggest that women are less likely to continue with their drug abuse problem for an extended period of time before seeking treatment. However, women join rehabilitation centers with more severe physical, psychological, and social problems. Those going through female detox may experience significantly different withdrawal symptoms compared to men.
Physiological Issues
The physiological profile of an addict is a factor that determines the effects of withdrawing from a given drug. A woman’s undergoing drug rehabilitation or women detox may experience more severe withdrawal symptoms due to issues such as menopause, hormones, pregnancy, and fertility.
During the menstrual cycle, some women may experience certain physical and psychological symptoms that may make it difficult to cope. Food and drug cravings may become more intense. Psychological symptoms may include, irritability, anxiety, lack of concentration, etc., during the menstrual cycle.
Women have smaller bodies with less muscle and more fatty tissues compared to men. It has been observed that women tend to develop problems associated with organ damage at a faster rate. This is probably due to the fact that the body tends to retain more alcohol as a result of the higher amounts of fatty tissues. The organs are more vulnerable to damage, the health implications that may arise can complicate the detoxification process.
Psychological and Social Issues
The social and psychological factors that often lead to substance abuse, can have a greater impact on a female addict. Some of the social issues include relationships with family members, extended family, economic situations, support systems, etc.
Social factors can prevent a woman from seeking help from a rehab facility. Some women fear their children will be taken by social services once they join a rehabilitation program. Others may join such facilities but remain distracted by the fear that social services will come for their children. The psychological distress experienced can have an impact on the patient’s capacity to overcome the withdrawal symptoms and go through recovery successfully.
Substance Abuse and Female Detox
Menopause is that stage where a woman’s body produces less of the hormone estrogen. The hormone is responsible for the reproductive system, the menstrual cycle, amongst other biological processes. So when the body begins to produce less and less of the hormone a lot of changes take place in the body and this can influence how the addict experiences withdrawal.
These hormonal changes can also greatly affect the detox process. Some drugs have quite severe withdrawal symptoms. The sensations that women approaching the menopause stage are going to feel may be more uncomfortable for them. This is part of the reason some rehab facilities have programs for people that are tailored based on their age or gender.
Statistics indicate that 70 percent of women who abuse substances such as cocaine and heroin may have been abused before the age of 16. Many female addicts continue to abuse substances as a way of coping with depression and trauma. During detox and recovery, it is important for the addict to have the underlying psychological factors that led to addiction addressed, otherwise the likelihood of a relapse will be high.
It is important to acknowledge these differences when treating alcohol and substance abuse. These gender differences have real implications on the efficacy of a given treatment method and this also includes female detox process. A tailored treatment program can go a long way in helping female addicts recover from addiction.
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