A Guide to Drug Rehab and Treatment for Alcoholism for Women in Colorado
In the U.S., there are 4.6 million women 18 and older that have misused prescription drugs over the past year. Every three minutes, a woman is admitted to the emergency room for prescription painkiller abuse or misuse. Alcohol is an even higher rate with nearly 50% of admissions to treatment centers being related to drinking. With these stats, it’s important to understand that you’re not alone in your substance abuse struggles.
When it’s gotten so bad that you can’t stop reaching for the bottle or using drugs, it’s time to consider a drug rehab or treatment for alcohol abuse program. Women have specific needs when it comes to addiction treatment which is why there are female only clinics all around the world.
Women’s Addiction Recovery FAQ
In an all women’s drug treatment clinic, you’ll focus on mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual support. This has proven to be more effective in assisting a woman’s fight against alcoholism or drug addiction and gives a foundation for a full recovery. Addiction treatment for women with female only programs also help you relax specifically if you have trouble with men. This may be the case if you were abused by a man at some point in your life. All woman detox and rehab also allows you to connect with other women. Facilities like this in Colorado and all over help women come together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free life.
There are issues women face that make their alcoholism or substance addiction different than men. It is both a biological and gender influence. Roles for men and women differ in society and this can have an impact on how women deal with emotional issues and their addiction.
Scientists studying substance use have found that hormonal issues like your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause do have an impact on how you’ll handle drug use. The fluctuation of hormones constantly going on at all stages of life can cause a change in using drugs or not on any given day. Women have described the reasons they use drugs and they vary a lot from what men have to say about their addiction reasons. Women will use drugs to control weight, stave off exhaustion, cope with pain, or self-treat mental health issues.
Women’s needs for drug rehab do differ when they’re going through the process of dealing with their addiction. Women will often have a mental health problem that needs to be dealt with in addition to their addiction treatment. Women deal with stress differently so it’s essential to nurture those needs.
It’s been found that women feel more comfortable sharing in a group when it’s all women. It allows them to relax so they can be more open and get more thoughts or emotions out. A women’s drug treatment center or program for alcoholism uses the methods that specifically help women in their long-term recovery. When targeting services for women only, the treatment is potentially more effective. The programs cater to a woman’s specific emotional and psychological needs that have proven to help women heal and recover.
All aspects of women and addiction are different to men. Therefore, drug rehab or alcohol addiction treatment should be more targeted for women in order for it to be successful. There are certain risks that surround addiction in women. Here are some facts about the comparison of men and women when it comes to substance abuse:
- Women use smaller amounts of drugs for less time than men before becoming addicted. They are at higher risk of becoming addicted to substances with less effort.
- Sex hormones in women can cause a greater sensitivity to the effects of certain drugs than they do in men.
- Women using drugs can experience greater physical effects in the heart and blood vessels than men.
- Drugs change both sexes brain but do so differently.
- Women are more likely to end up in the hospital or die due to overdosing.
- Women who have been victimized through domestic violence are more at risk to abuse substances.
- Women can be triggered to abuse substances when there is a tragedy in their life such as, divorce, loss of a child, loss of children through a custody battle or death of a partner.
- Women using certain substances can be more at risk for panic attacks, anxiety, and depression.
- During pregnancy, substance use can put women and her unborn child at high health risks. Alcohol and drug abuse while pregnant can cause miscarriage, migraines, seizures, and high blood pressure which can also affect the baby. For those taking prescription pain killers, illegal drugs, or smoking cigarettes and marijuana, the risk of stillbirth is two to three times higher.
- Women using substances while pregnant can cause a condition called neonatal abstinence syndrome. This is where the baby goes through withdrawal after birth. This is true if women are using opioids, alcohol, and some of the prescription sedatives. The severity of this condition is based on how long and often the mother used the substance. It also depends on how every women’s body breaks down any given substance. Another factor is whether the baby is born prematurely or full term.
The effects of alcohol on women can create a dangerous addiction that breaks down many of the bodies functions. When it comes to alcohol abuse, it’s essential to seek specific treatment for alcoholism that is designed for women. Less women drink than men but women that are heavy drinkers have equal measure of problems from drinking. Female alcoholics have death rates that are 50-100% higher than men who are alcoholics. This is based on suicide, alcohol-related accidents and health problems like heart and stroke disease or liver cirrhosis.
Your genetic makeup as a woman determines how fast you feel alcohol in your system, how pleasant it feels, and how much alcohol you can handle before it starts to affect your health. Factors that also affect how alcohol will play a part in your life include family history with alcohol, your risk of heart disease or breast cancer, the medications you’re on and what kind of drinking pattern you take part in.
To successfully recover from alcoholism, these factors will allow medical professionals to design a program that will give you the best chance of recovering. Professional addiction treatment should be more than detoxing. You should seek out support from other women in your area or enter an inpatient drug rehab and treatment for alcoholism clinic. Aftercare should also be added to your recovery program. There are therapies that help you understand addiction as well as understanding yourself.
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Structural Family Theory
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
The Addiction Treatment Process
The Cost of Drug Rehab and Treatment for Alcoholism
Drug rehab or treatment for alcohol addiction in a private clinic is a valuable service but the cost can be high.
Your insurance provider may cover some costs like detox but you may have to pay a deductible up front. If you feel like you need a long-stay treatment, many addiction treatment centers will honor a financing plan so you don’t have to pay a large fee upfront. These intense all women programs may be partially covered by your insurance also.
There are also public rehabilitation facilities funded by taxes. If you’re a woman, you may have a better chance of being accepted into funded programs. That being said, the quality of treatment may not be as good. If you can afford private addiction treatment, your chances of recovery are much higher.
The cost of alcohol or drug treatment can cost a lot or a little, depending on what you want.
Costs for programs depend on factors like:
- Length of stay
- If you’ll attend inpatient or outpatient programs
- If you’ll choose a federally funded program or a private program
Types of Programs for Drug Rehab and Treatment for Alcoholism
It doesn’t matter what your addiction is, you are going to need the right kind of drug rehab or treatment for alcohol. Finding the right addiction treatment for you will depend on how dependent you are on any given drug, your mental health, your lifestyle, and what substance(s) you are using. You may just need detox and minimal after treatment like a support group. You may need much more rehabilitation that includes behavioral and holistic therapy. Whatever your personal needs are, there is an addiction treatment center that has a program suited just for you.
If you’re a busy mother or have a full-time job, you may find that outpatient addiction treatment works for your lifestyle.
If you have insurance that allows you to take part in an inpatient treatment center, you may want to take this route. Having a supportive family that wants to see you recover will allow you to make the decision that is right for you. Going to all women groups or seeking out individual therapy is also advised once the detox phase has completed. Let’s look into the details of women’s addiction treatment options in Colorado and elsewhere that are available to you.
Research studies about addiction treatment put programs into several types of modalities. Approaches to treatment and programs are constantly changing and getting better. Generally, a successful program will involve detox or medically managed withdrawal if necessary.
Traditional outpatient addiction treatment programs involve a weekly appointment. This type of care may not be enough to ensure you fully recover and stop using for good. Intensive outpatient addiction treatment addresses women’s need fully when it comes to their addictions. Once an inpatient treatment program is completed, a supportive outpatient program will help you on your path to full recovery.
The amount of care you receive with outpatient treatments vary. If you have a job or a great support system, an outpatient treatment can work effectively for you. It is recommended that you opt for a more high-intensity outpatient program to get the necessary help you need. Intensive day treatments are available through residential programs but aren’t as effective for some addictions or personalities. Outpatient programs from women will often include group counseling as a main component. There is also outpatient programs that help you with mental health problems that may have been the cause of abusing substances.
There are a few different options for inpatient addiction treatment whether it’s drug rehab or an alcohol recovery program. Depending on the severity of your addiction, there is short term and long term women’s inpatient care available. The benefit of an inpatient program is that you’re surrounded by other women who are going through the same thing. You are monitored 24/7 so there’s no opportunity for relapse.
You will also have the time to heal in a safe environment instead of dealing with your life at home which could cause triggers, enabling relapse.
In a long-term residential facility, there is treatment available 24 hours a day in a clinic setting. While in long-term residential care for addiction, you’ll likely go through a treatment model known as therapeutic community (TC). This model is between 6-12 months long. The focus is to get you socialized again and use the entirety of the program’s community. This includes residents, and staff as part of your overall recovery.
Addiction is seen in context by what’s missing socially and psychologically in you. While maybe a scary part of the process, you’ll be held accountable for your actions and be forced to be socially productive. Treatment can be confrontational because activities are designed to make you look at your damaging beliefs, ideas about yourself, and destructive patterns that brought you to this place in your life.
In replacement for the negative parts of yourself and your life, the hope is that you can create more harmony and figure out more constructive ways to deal with problems. Further services can include onsite support and employment training so you have the tools to start your life again. TC is capable of being modified to treat specific needs in people that include women.
Short-term programs for addiction treatment is intensive but brief and is based on a 12-step approach that is slightly modified. Primarily, the program was designed to treat alcohol abuse and dependency. They found that this method was also an effective treatment for substance use disorders.
The model will usually have a 3-6 week hospital inpatient treatment with extended outpatient therapies. Along with this, participating in a self-help group like AA allows you to share and get support from others. Once any residential treatment program has been successfully completed, it’s still essential to participate in outpatient treatment programs. They reduce the risk of relapse once you’ve left the safety of short-term residential treatment.
Once your addiction treatment program is completed, you may be confronted with the fact that your living situation isn’t conducive to staying sober. Maybe you feel afraid that it could cause you to relapse and you just don’t feel ready to take that step back into life. If you’re fortunate enough to have the flexibility to enter a sober living program, you’ll be immersed in a safe place with other women. Sober living is beneficial because you feel like a part of a community that you may not feel in your current home environment.
If you sense you need more help with your addiction, sober housing for women in Colorado is available after you’ve completed your drug and alcohol rehab program. As you reach to meet your goals to full recovery, you will be in a safe place that supports those goals. With any given drug rehab or alcohol recovery program, it was likely a 30-day program. While a beneficial turning point in your life may have occurred while you were immersed in the program, you just might need a little more time. Sober living is a way to ensure your long-term recovery as you dig deep into yourself and find that true place of healing. You can do this in sober housing without distractions of day-to-day life. You won’t feel alone in the world as you’ll have many women around you who are going through the same battle in their lives. It’s an excellent way to transition yourself back into your community as you continue with the treatment you need.
While you’re taking part in sober living, you’ll be a part of an intensive outpatient treatment which is necessary after you are finished inpatient treatment. You will continue to work on yourself based on what you learned while you were going through inpatient treatment. This will include individual therapy sessions as well as meeting with a support group. Sober living allows you to maintain your focus and most importantly, feel a sense of hope for your future.
How Long You Can Expect Inpatient Addiction Treatment to Last
There are a few different time frames that inpatient treatments use. It is dependent on your type of addiction and how severe it is. Here are some of the possible times you can expect:
A one month program, although not completely effective for full recovery, will allow you to feel less intimidated with the short commitment. This is especially true if you do a “lockdown” program that doesn’t allow visitors. You will live in a drug rehab and alcohol addiction treatment center for 28-30 days and participate in individual and group therapy sessions. You will also participate in 12-step and other support meetings. You’ll be given techniques that will help prevent relapse in the hopes that you can remain sober. There are residential rehab settings where you can live with other people who also struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, allowing you to build relationships with sober friends and peers.
Residential rehabilitation or sober housing in Colorado for women is a 60-day stay that gives you more time to detoxify or get the therapy you need. This additional therapy will get to the core of your addiction, giving you a better chance to fully recover. Outpatient rehab is good for some but it does have a higher failure rate because it doesn’t include detox.
A 60-day live-in rehab detoxifies you from the drug you’re addicted to and helps with cravings. This is done by learning how to positively reason with yourself and the usage of healthy stress management techniques. When you can master these practices, you’ll be better equipped to work through the emotional triggers that can put you at risk for relapsing. The detox will last for 7-14 days, depending on the substance addiction. Then, you’ll start undergoing therapy sessions which teach you the necessary practices for recovery success.
There is also a 90-day drug rehab and treatment for alcoholism program. This long-term treatment promotes even further success as the longer the treatment, the better the outcome. This program will empower you with solid relapse prevention skills and teach you more methods to manage potentially difficult situations in your life.
Types of Counseling in Women’s Drug Rehab or Treatment for Alcoholism
Within any kind of addiction treatment you choose, you will receive counseling as a part of your healing. Women’s counseling for drug or alcohol addiction will be more targeted towards the emotional needs of women.
Inpatient addiction treatment for women will include individual therapy as part of the fundamentals for recovery. This type of counseling should also be used in outpatient treatment however, as it’s essential to interact with other women. Part of healing is knowing that you’re supported and you’re not alone. You need to feel like there’s someone you can turn to when you feel like you’re drowning. Individual counseling will provide you with a second set of opinions and feelings on your addictive behaviors that may not make it seem so daunting for you.
As part of your overall treatment for alcoholism or drug addiction, individualized drug counseling is designed to help you stop substance abuse. It not only focuses on preventing you from using drugs again but it helps you to function in society again. There are probably some aspects of your life that are suffering due to your addiction. Alternatively, your addictive may be a direct result of something that was happening to you.
Individualized drug counseling directs you on coping strategies and tools to abstain from using drugs. Your sessions will go over short-term behavior goals so you can better manage temptation or stress without relapsing in your real-life setting. You will likely take the 12-step participation which will include counseling 2-3 days per week. You may also be referred for supplemental medication, employment, and psychiatric services.
Group therapy has also been found to be effective for women who are taking part of intensive outpatient programs. Talking in groups of like-minded women going through the same thing as you can help you stay focused on recovery. Going back to your normal life can trigger old patterns and behaviors so being accountable to a group is vital. There are a variety of different groups that can specifically meet your needs.
Research shows that group therapy provides a highly positive outcome when coupled with cognitive-behavioral therapy or contingency management. Relapse is less likely and recovery runs more smoothly when offered with individualized drug counseling. When you feel the community of women that surround you who have successfully remained clean, it can offer inspiration and hope.
Addiction treatment for women from detox to full recovery utilizes tools that have been proven to work. Whether it’s 12-step programs or behavioral therapy, you will have the knowledge of dealing with your addiction the right way. While some programs are more effective than others, you will have the opportunity to step back and look at the emotional triggers that lead you to addiction in the first place.
Being supported by other women that are going through the same thing, or have made it to full recovery, can serve as an inspiration for your own personal journey. The process of addiction treatment can bring hope back into your life. As you begin to take control of your life, you’ll be in a much better position to stay clean and recover fully.