Causes of Alcoholism in Women

Society has a hard time understanding the causes of alcoholism in women and why women become addicted to drugs and how they affect the brain to necessitate obsessive-compulsive abuse. Society can view the causes of alcoholism in women in addiction as being morally deficient as drug and alcohol abuse is often seen as a social problem. Women often hear their friends and family members saying, “if they would just stop using drugs and drinking, their life will get better”… if only it were that easy for a woman active in her disease of addiction!

The causes of alcoholism in women are very complex and often underestimated, especially in women. The causes of alcoholism in women steps from the initial decision to start using drugs and drinking alcohol is voluntary, but over time the changes in the brain cause by repeated drug abuse can affect a woman’s self-control and ability to make sound decisions, and at the same time send intense impulses to take drugs an continue to drink. Because of the changes in the brain, a woman is addicted is challenged when trying to stop abusing drugs and alcohol.

There are many “so-called” causes of alcoholism in women. Psychological, social and genetic factors have been liked to the causes of alcoholism in women. The psychological argument is that many alcoholics feel a feeling of inferiority and inadequacy. Alcohol is thought to give them false courage needed to face life. They are not capable of feeling self-assured to function in real life. Another cause of alcoholism in women may include social factors. Many alcoholics start and begin moderately due to social or peer encouragement. They build up craving and requirement leading to increasing use. Eventually, the drinking advances beyond control. There is another factor to consider as a cause of alcoholism in women: genetics. According to studies, children of alcoholics tend to abuse alcohol themselves. Physiologically alcoholics are thought to be weak and predisposed and more likely to become alcoholics themselves. Children of alcoholic parents tend to be more likely to be alcoholics.

The effects of alcoholism range from direct physiological impact on the individual to a widespread effect on society. In The United States, on family in three is estimated to be affected in some way by a drinking problem. Alcoholism is an enormous public health problem. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that alcoholism and alcohol abuse in The United States cost society from $40 to $60 billion annually, due to lost production, health and medical care, motor vehicle accidents, violent crime, and social programs that respond to alcohol problems.

At Safe Harbor, the causes of alcoholism in women treatment is available that will help women overcome her powerful and destructive addictions and reclaim their life! Safe Harbor Addiction Treatment Center in California teaches women to live “life on life’s terms” without the use of a mind-altering substance.

Recovery from a substance at an addiction treatment center is a process involving a sequence of small steps where women gain control over their substance use and increase their confidence. To recover, women need to learn to believe in themselves, be prepared to struggle and be determined to reach their goals. This process of overcoming the causes of alcoholism in women takes time and support and preventing relapse or a return to substance use is the goal of our addiction treatment center. For a client to feel uncertain or hesitant about making this change is normal. Deciding to change is a big step and our addiction treatment center in California recognizes that this change and recovery is a process in overcoming the causes of alcoholism in women.

The initial exposure to an addiction treatment center to conquer the causes of alcoholism in women is an overwhelming experience for women active in addiction. Whether a woman attends an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting, a Detoxification facility or a psychiatric in-patient center, one unavoidable conclusion is true: Addiction is a horrible situation for any woman.

An inpatient/Residential addiction treatment center for women is a type of healing in which the patient is admitted to a facility, such as Safe Harbor Treatment Center for Women, for an extended stay to treat the causes of alcoholism in women. Safe Harbor provides a structured environment for women in addiction, eliminating outside pressures and influences for the addict. Treatment includes individual and group therapy, nutritional counseling, vocational training, relapse prevention support, educational services and 12-step substance abuse programs. Women in addiction are immersed in the treatment routine of our facility reducing the incidence of patient’s access and use of drugs and alcohol. After the initial 90-day program, women may elect to enter into our sober living houses. This enables the recovering women to reintroduce themselves to mainstream society while still maintaining the structured living environment. Safe Harbor patients continue to attend a 12-step program to maintain their hard won recovery throughout their treatment.

Safe Harbor’s continuing care program is designed so that the recovering addict continues to live in a separate home outside of the treatment center, but attends treatment sessions or meetings with Safe Harbor staff. Instead of being totally removed from societal pressures and influences, clients in the continuing care program begin to be exposed to everyday stress, but learn to deal with life through numerous sessions at the facility. Drug Testing is used to ensure that clients are not continuing to use while enrolled in the continuing care program. Our successful aftercare program assists the women in recovery with everyday life situations while in early recovery, and to continue to work in relapse prevention to maintain their awareness of potential relapse trigger issues.

Relapse prevention groups focus on particular stages achieved by recovering addicts as they progress toward sobriety. The first stage is a motivational group to help participants move toward involvement with treatment and a readiness to change. The goals of this group are to help women assess involvement with substance use, consequences of previous use, motivation for change and the development o a plan to begin to change. The group’s purpose is to encourage each participant to begin self-evaluation, aided by the group leader’s active involvement in providing feedback and helping the women to interact.

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