Chemical Dependency

Because alcohol use disorder (AUD) impacts men, women, and teens, it’s hard to distinguish treatment. There are many options to fit your needs and lifestyle. However, if you are a woman or you know a woman who is struggling with AUD, finding therapy for alcoholism that meets her specific needs is important. Here are six reasons therapy for alcoholism in women may need to differ from that of men. First, studies show that women who struggle with AUD, whether mild, moderate, or severe, tend to have lower self-esteem than men with alcohol issues. So, therapy for alcoholism needs to address self-esteem issues. Finding a counselor who works regularly with women on self-esteem is paramount. Second, the needs of women seeking treatment for AUD are different than many men simply because many women are still the primary caregivers and household managers for their families. Addressing roles in the household that may have an impact on a woman’s ability to overcome her struggle with alcohol can be a key to unlocking what her addictive triggers are. For example, if a woman has a partner who travels extensively and does not have family or friends who can help with occasional childcare needs, a woman may lean on alcohol extensively for stress relief and coping with the loneliness of being a solo parent for specific periods while her husband travels. Third, there is still a huge stigma in our culture toward women with AUD. Whether it’s perceived or real, women traditionally have fears about therapy for alcoholism simply because they don’t hear about other women in treatment. Fear of being discovered as having an issue with alcohol may be contributing to a woman’s anxiety in therapy for alcoholism. So, it’s important to find a counselor who can sensitively recognize and help her work [...]