Currently, there are more than 7.2 million women battling a substance use disorder in the United States. Many of these women are struggling with illicit drugs, and even more are struggling with alcohol abuse. If your daughter, wife, or a loved one is facing a drug problem, know that you are not alone. Drug use among women is common. Yet it is also very scary for those affected by it. More than likely, you wake up each day with anxieties about your loved one’s safety and health. You may even fear for her life. As much as you want to help her overcome this battle, you may not know where to start.
Choosing the best drug treatment for your loved one can be overwhelming. There are all types of treatment centers available for women with alcohol and drug addictions. Each has its own outlook, mission, and approach to treating this disease. So, which addiction treatment is the best?
The answer to this question will depend on your loved one’s situation and needs. As substance addiction becomes more common among women, it is important to remember that no struggle is the same. Each of these women have their own story, their own triggers, and are dealing with their own monsters. Therefore, each woman will benefit from a different treatment plan. There is no, single type of drug treatment that will work for every woman. However, there are certain things you can look for in a credible, reputable treatment program.
What the Best Women’s Treatment Centers Have in Common
When seeking a drug treatment program for your loved one, find one that offers:
- Individualized Care and Treatment
As noted above, drug treatment cannot be one-size-fits-all. Every woman will have different experiences with drugs, and therefore different needs from her recovery program. The right treatment center will take time to assess her medical, emotional, mental, vocational, social, and even legal problems. They will take into consideration her age, background, culture, and her drug of choice. Then, they will create a personalized treatment plan that addresses all of her needs, as they relate to her mental health and her drug abuse. As the National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, “Matching treatment settings, interventions, and services to an individual’s particular problems and needs is critical to his or her ultimate success.”
- Round-the-Clock Support
Anyone struggling with a substance use disorder can benefit from constant monitoring and support. For women in treatment, 24/7 care ensures that they withstand any urges to use drugs and that they have someone to turn to during difficult times—whether that be a counselor, a clinician, or support staff member. It also ensures they have constant access to medical care, if and when they need it. If your loved one needs someone to chat with, she can find that, too. Choosing an inpatient program that offers this level of care will help your loved one feel supported, heard, and encouraged throughout her stay.
- Gender-Specific Treatment Programs
As you research potential drug treatment centers, seek one that offers distinct programs for men and women. This is called gender-specific treatment, and can be highly beneficial for women in recovery. Specifically, it can help women feel more comfortable in their program. They do not need to fear, or feel distracted by, the opposite gender. They are surrounded by other women, in similar shoes. They are also being treated by women who have specific training in the female experience. This, in turn, can encourage women to open up about their stories and feelings, whether that be in counseling sessions, support meetings, or group therapies, and advance in the healing process.
- A Focus on Skills Development
The best drug treatment for women goes beyond the basics of detox and getting sober. It teaches women how to fully live sober, after achieving abstinence. The best treatment programs focus on developing women’s coping skills and life skills. For example, at Turnbridge, we help women learn how to prepare healthy meals, develop an exercise routine, practice meditation and mindfulness, prioritize regular health check-ups, and even establish new friendships (without the blanket of drugs and alcohol). We also help them find ways to cope with stressful triggers, handle difficult cravings, and prevent relapse. While getting sober is the first step, it is not the only step in recovery. Recovery is a journey, and the best drug treatment program will prepare your loved one for all that is ahead.
Learn more about how to choose a drug treatment program for women here.
The Best Types of Drug Treatment for Women
As mentioned above, there are also many types of drug treatment for women. There are long-term and short-term programs, inpatient and outpatient programs, as well as various methodologies when it comes to treating addiction. While the best treatment for your loved one will depend on her needs, we recommend seeking a women’s rehab center with the following treatment offerings:
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Of the 7 million women battling drug addiction today, the majority (about 4.4 million women) also struggle with a mental health condition. Even if you do not see it in your loved one, there is a high probability that she is struggling in some way. Mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, and self-harm disproportionately affect women. Often, these disorders will lead to substance addiction over time. Women struggling with mental health conditions may not know how to cope, and turn to drugs or alcohol to ease the pain.
This is where dual diagnosis treatment comes into play. Dual diagnosis treatment is designed to address any co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, at the same time and place. This integrated method of treatment is essential for restoring a woman’s health and making recovery—from both disorders—possible. Without dual diagnosis treatment, a woman may go onto suffer the mental health symptoms that helped lead to her drug abuse.
- Trauma-Informed Therapy
Research shows that almost three-quarters of women with a substance use disorder have experienced sexual abuse or emotional abuse. More than half have experienced physical abuse. Too often, this goes unaddressed and becomes the driving cause of their substance abuse. Any physical, sexual, or emotional trauma can also have a profound and lasting impact on a woman’s mental health. But it takes experienced professionals – who are trained in trauma-informed therapy – to treat it effectively.
Trauma-informed therapy helps women address any trauma they may have experienced, understand how it may be affecting their lives, and treat it over time. By helping women overcome trauma, this type of therapy can help them regain a sense of self-confidence, self-worth, self-respect, and the ability to trust others again.
- Behavioral Treatment Methods
Evidence-based, behavioral therapies are highly recommended for women in addiction treatment. These approaches are designed to engage women in their recovery and help them develop goals for the future. In addition, behavioral therapies help women to identify their negative thought patterns, to understand the root of their behaviors, and make changes within themselves. This may involve altering their outlooks or attitudes, and increasing their life skills to handle any difficult situations that arise.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common methodology used in the best drug treatment for women. This approach helps women identify the root of their drug problem, change their distorted ways of thinking, and practice alternative, positive ways of thinking and coping each day. At Turnbridge, we utilize CBT in combination with DBT (dialectic behavioral therapy) to help young women understand their mental health more holistically, and start to live a life free from their once-debilitating symptoms.
A Top Drug Treatment Center for Women
At Turnbridge, our goal is to help women overcome their struggles with both mental health and addiction. We aim to show each woman how to live a successful life in recovery, to ease and grow from the traumas they have experienced, and to develop a stronger sense-of-self at the same time. We do this through a variety of holistic and evidence-based therapies, tailored to each individual client. These include:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy & Cognitive Behavior Therapy
- Trauma-Informed Therapy
- Eating Disorder and Clinical Dietition Support
- Stages of Change Therapeutic Approach
- Psychological, Psycho-Social & Physiological Assessment and Treatment
- Women’s Specific 12-Step Recovery
- Restoration and Preservation of Dignity & Purpose
- Family Program & Familial Relationships
- Daily Meditation
- Art Therapy Program
- Women’s Nutrition & Exercise
To learn about the women’s treatment program at Turnbridge, please do not hesitate to contact us. You may call 877-581-1793 for more information today. You may also visit us online to explore the places, practices, and programs available for women at Turnbridge.