Arab Women Seeking Drug Rehab Help in Larger Numbers

Arab women seeking help or attention in any way is not a common occurrence in the Middle East, but seeking drug addiction treatment – that’s a huge step given the cultural constraints put upon women. One drug abuse treatment center in Jeddah reports that about 200 women addicted to drugs sought treatment in one year, ranging in age between 18 and 43 years old. The women came from Turkey, Pakistan, Eritrea, Egypt, Yemen, and Palestine.

It’s hard to track numbers in terms of actual drug abuse and drug addiction in the area, especially among women. Reports say that though there is a lower percentage of women living with addiction in these areas than men, but a larger percentage of men seek drug addiction treatment than women. The Department of Girls’ Education in Jeddah released a study saying that about 20 percent of female addicts are secondary school students.

The center in Jeddah hopes that more women will seek help as they increase the number ads aired on satellite television.

Why Do Women Avoid Drug Addiction Treatment?

The reluctance to seek drug and alcohol addiction help in a formal drug rehab is not unique to Arab women. American women, too, are less likely to enroll in drug rehab than are men. Why? Here are a couple of commonly reported reasons women cite for avoiding drug treatment:

·Stigma. Women feel that there is greater harm done to them by the stigma of drug addiction and don’t like the idea of embracing the tag ‘drug addict’ by enrolling in treatment. Many continue to live without the help they need for years in an attempt to treat themselves.

·Childcare. Many women in America are the primary caregivers for their children or elderly family members. They don’t feel that they would have support for their children if they were to enroll in a treatment program, nor do they think that the benefits of treatment outweigh upsetting the kids by leaving for an extended period.

·Fear. Women who are fighting for custody of their children believe that their drug addiction will be used against them in court and that they will lose custody of their children if they admit to the problem by seeking treatment. Sadly, the damage done to the children as a result of continuing to live with a mother addicted to drugs is far worse than a brief separation to undergo treatment.

·Money. Women who work or have spent years working to build up their education and createsolid career for themselves do not feel that they can put that on hold while they go to drug rehab. Unfortunately, many often end up doing irreparable damage to their careers and to their reputation as a result of their behavior and undependability while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

If you would like to seek treatment for addiction, The Orchid can help. We treat women who are prepared to walk away from addiction and create a new life for themselves without drugs and alcohol. Call now.