Increased Chance of Employment for Women Who Attend All-Women Rehab

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Getting treatment for substance abuse can be a difficult task, and afterwards many people are forced to re-establish some kind of home and professional life. For some an all-women’s rehab facility is the best bet for the most growth and effective assistance. According to a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), women who receive treatment in gender-specific programs are more likely to be employed consistently for 12 months after treatment admission than women in more traditional treatment programs.

Not all treatment programs acknowledge how important an all-women’s facility can be for some peoples recovery, and for the most part those drug rehabilitation facilities that do recognize the gender-specific characteristics of drug use of women tend to only focus on:

• Pregnant women who are actively using
• Women who are mothers of small children
• Female sex workers

However, research has determined that women of all ages and ethnicities regardless of their parental status exhibit decidedly different drug use catalysts, treatment needs and relapse patterns. These gender-specific issues are commonly overlooked in drug treatment centers that are not set up to provide unique support.

Gender Specific Issues

There are a number of issues that women who use drugs commonly face in addition to their addiction issues. These issues can also effect their ability to transition back into a professional and home life, being social, cultural and personal concerns that have the potential to be catalysts for their use or a cause of relapse if not properly dealt with. These issues include:

• A partner who also has issues with substance use
• Children who are dependent upon them
• Problems at the beginning of treatment
• Past sexual abuse
• Past physical abuse
• Psychiatric and mental disorders

Additionally, the NIDA report determined that women who complete a treatment program have much greater odds of being employed than women who do not complete their treatment program.

The NIDA study analyzed data that was collected from 5,109 women admitted to 13 mixed-gender intensive inpatient programs in Washington State. The research and information put together is particularly important since women with substance abuse disorders have frequently reported barriers to their future employment, which is commonly associated as a factor of most relapses.

All-women’s Rehab

Gender specific rehab for women is a unique and specialized rehabilitation program specifically designed for the needs and wants of women. Men and women, while they may suffer from the same disease of addiction and/or alcoholism, many times have different needs when it comes to a drug rehab approach.

Women often experience very important social, psychological and traumatic factors that can come into play while in drug rehab that can be specific to the gender, and that is why there is gender specific rehab for women. A more effective style of all-women’s rehab program is designed to address all these unique factors, while still not limiting the demographic.

Attending an all-women’s treatment facility creates for women an atmosphere where they can feel safe to be honest, to talk more about the more personal truths, and allows for recovery from traumatic events in a nurturing environment. In a space that is only women, drug rehab allows women who may have experienced traumas such as sexual assault, domestic violence, or childhood traumas to really work through their issues. Perhaps a key connection here is any work-place related trauma or stress then a woman may associate with active addiction.

Some women would be incapable of working through these traumatic events in order to develop more responsible habits in the company of men. That is why it is imperative for women to have a special and comfortable place they can go to in order to recover. Comfort for these kinds of break-through experiences is a top priority for those who intend to re-enter the workplace or find a new career after completing a treatment program.

The right foundation can be essential in order to establish a life and a career. Employment opportunities may change during treatment, but women who attend all-women facilities and complete programs on average have more opportunities that work best toward changing their lives. If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call toll-free 1-800-777-9588