December 7, 2022
Sober living for women can be particularly challenging due to stereotypes and impractical societal expectations. Learn more about these challenges in this post.
Addiction chooses no specific gender to target. Everyone can develop an addiction. However, for men and women, addiction can often have different effects and outcomes. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), women respond to substances differently compared to men, as feminine sex hormones may make women more sensitive to drugs.
Because of the differences in the biological and psychological disposition of women versus men, women suffering from addiction may experience different challenges. Additionally, the role of women in society can bring even more unique challenges on the road to sobriety that aren’t common for men or sober living in general. Obviously, if these challenges are not properly addressed, they can significantly hamper the recovery process and may lead to even bigger problems down the line.
In this article, you’ll learn about some of the biggest challenges of sober living for women and why it’s important to understand women in recovery from a different perspective.
Recovery from drug addiction while raising and attending to a family can be difficult. Mothers recovering from addiction are always faced with the dilemma of either prioritizing the family’s needs or their addiction recovery. This can be particularly more challenging if the kids are still young. Unfortunately, most mothers want to choose both. However, there’s always a trade-off. If they choose family, they’ll have to sacrifice recovery, and vice versa,
Another issue is that financially challenged families might be more inclined to focus on spending what they have on their children’s welfare over the recovery needs of the mother living in a sober home. This might result in the mother completely abandoning her addiction recovery program.
That’s why it’s important to be extra kind when dealing with mothers in addiction recovery. The decision to put their obligation to their family first over their mental well-being is a sacrifice that should not be taken lightly. And if you’re a mother suffering from addiction and contemplating whether it’s worth it to get treated, remember that your family deserves the best version of you and the only way to do that is to be aligned physically, mentally, and emotionally. You matter and your recovery is crucial if you want to provide the best for your family.
Society can often have a negative impact on women living in a sober living environment. For instance, women are expected to behave in a certain way, dress in a certain manner, and act “womanly.” These stereotypes create discrimination, effectively creating more division among women who are simply trying to get better and put their addiction experience behind them for good.
In some cases, there are double standards in society. For example, many people wouldn’t bat an eyelid at a man getting piss-drunk at the bar. But reverse the roles and tongues would be wagging. There will be preconceived notions about them because they didn’t conform to society’s expectations about women.
The social stigma around addiction recovery makes sober living for women more difficult. It’s important to understand that addiction can occur to anyone and the effects of addiction differ for every person regardless of sex, gender, age, and ethnicity.
Some women may undergo addiction recovery without fully exploring other mental health problems. These mental health issues may resurface during or after their addiction recovery in a sober home, but it may also show up only when the patient transitions back to the outside world.
Sober living environments are conducive to recovery and wellness, so naturally, making the switch to the outside world where everything is chaotic can be super stressful. This stress can trigger these undiagnosed mental health issues, requiring them to go seek treatment all over again.
The best way to overcome this challenge is to choose addiction recovery facilities that promotes total recovery. This holistic approach can be helpful in creating a more robust treatment regimen that addresses most or all underlying issues.
Sober living homes for women provides a safe space for them to recover from addiction. However, the real challenge awaits them outside these sober homes. Once outside the facility, it is possible for patients to return to their old ways because of problematic relationships with other people.
Whether it be family or a significant other, problematic relationships hinder the process of addiction recovery.These relationships are often underlying causes of addiction. As such, getting rid of these unhealthy connections is essential for healing.
Sometimes it’s not easy to rid your life of problematic relationships. But remember that if these toxic people are causing you to want to indulge in alcohol or harmful substances, or aren’t helping you in your recovery, they’re probably not deserving to be in your life. Surround yourself with people who care for your well-being and are committed to speeding up your sobriety journey.
Women in sober living may lose self-esteem. Because of the stigma, prejudices, and judgment of women with a history of drug abuse, they may lose confidence in themselves and change how they view the world around them.
A lack of self-esteem makes recovery more difficult because it can affect their confidence about getting better. Also, with low self-esteem, a person in recovery may try to seclude themselves and avoid people. Seclusion doesn’t promote healing since the goal is to help the patient to transition into normal daily living as quickly as possible.
Improving self-esteem is key to a more meaningful recovery, and women in sober living can do this by reaching out to people who care for them. Surrounding yourself with kind and compassionate people can help boost confidence, strengthen bonds, and build an effective support system during and after addiction treatment.
Women struggle with addiction differently than men. And in many instances, recovery can be more difficult for them. Another Chance Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center of Portland is here to help! Here, we offer addiction treatment in Oregon for women who want to take back control of their lives and toe the path of sobriety and wellness.
Call today at (971) 272-8968 or fill out the contact form to get started.
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