Are you concerned that your loved one may have a drug problem? Are you worried that her occasional drug use has spiraled into a more severe dependence? Do you believe it is time to seek professional help?

You are not alone. Today, nearly 16 million women use illicit drugs. And well-over four million women, young and old, are battling a substance use disorder. There are millions of families like you asking, “What do I do next?”

Choosing a drug treatment program for a loved one can be an extremely hard decision for families to make. You know this first hand. You are already overwhelmed by the toll that addiction has taken on your daughter, your partner, or your friend. It hurts to see her fight this battle. You want to help, but do not know where to start.

Today, there are thousands of different drug rehab centers – there are inpatient and outpatient, long-term and short-term, group and individualized treatment programs – How can you know which type will actually help her? With so many rehabilitation programs out there and all of the promises they make, how will you know which will be best for your loved one?

In truth, this answer does not come so easily. It is one that requires research, education, and professional guidance. The fact is, women’s addiction treatment is not a “one-size-fits-all” model. There is no one formula for successful rehab, no one treatment plan that will guarantee a full recovery for your loved one. There are, however, important components that only the most successful and reputable treatment centers will enact. Here are seven to look for when choosing a women’s drug rehab program.

1.   A Drug Rehab Program Designed Specifically for Women

Women inherently have different needs than men, and this is no exception when it comes to drug treatment. Women battling addiction often face challenges exclusive to their gender, whether biologically, emotionally, socially or environmentally, and therefore have different ways of achieving lasting recovery. In a gender-specific facility, clinical staff are professionally trained and practiced in treating addiction in women. Gender-specific treatment helps in that it addresses the experiences and values that are so unique to women – trauma, abuse, sexuality, family, children, fear, pressure – thus promoting a healthy and informed recovery process.

2.   A Comprehensive, Customized Treatment Plan

An effective rehab center will acknowledge that a woman has multiple needs beyond her drug abuse. She may have legal issues to deal with if convicted by the law. She may have a co-occurring mental disorder that requires special treatment. She may be fifteen years old and have school to finish. The list goes on. A good women’s treatment center will take these factors – medical, psychological, social, legal – and incorporate them into a personalized treatment plan.

3.   A Trauma-Informed Treatment Approach

Trauma and drugs often go hand-in-hand. Studies confirm that 55 to 99 percent of women enrolled in a drug rehab facility report a history of trauma. You may be thinking, is this the cause of my partner’s drug abuse? Is this an underlying detail she may have left out? It is possible. Trauma can come from any experience, but in women, it most commonly results from abuse. Abuse can range from emotional to physical to sexual. About half of female addicts have experienced physical abuse in their lives; about 3 out of 4 women in drug treatment have experienced emotional, verbal, and/or sexual abuse in their lives.

Many drug-dependent women use drugs to self-medicate. They know no better way to do so. For this reason, trauma-informed addiction treatment is crucial to any women’s drug rehab center. Trauma-informed programs help women recognize the root of their addiction, cope using self-soothing techniques, and teach them to overcome any struggles or anxieties that have resulted from PTSD.

4.   A Center that is Prepared for the Treatment of Multiple Disorders

Post-traumatic stress disorder is not the only disorder common in women facing addiction. Women battling a substance use disorder also are likely to have co-occurring disorders such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, bi-polar disorder, and depression.

If left unaddressed, mental health disorders can, in time, severely impact a woman’s self-image, emotional stability, and further damage significant relationships in her life. Unattended co-occurring disorders in women may also increase her resistance to treatment and her risk of relapse. For this reason, it is important to find dual-diagnosis treatment prepared for the specific disorders faced by women.

5.   A Collaborative Treatment Model

Women battling addiction should be exposed to a combined treatment model, one that enacts both one-on-one and group therapies. In our experience at Turnbridge, we have found that young women tend to respond well to group counseling sessions, where they can openly discuss experiences, challenges, and progress with same-gender, same-age peers. This allows them to relate to one another and feel as though they are not alone in this journey. Here at Turnbridge’s women’s recovery center, we encourage a sense of community and family, as well as support groups, collaboration, and a strong sober network of peers.

6.   A Program that Gives Enough Time to Recovery

Addiction is a disease and it takes patience, commitment, and time to overcome it. For this reason, the National Institute on Drug Abuse states that most addicted individuals need at least three months in rehab in order to stop drug use, and that the best outcomes occur with longer durations of treatment.

7.   A Facility that Offers Family Support

Addiction does not just affect one individual; it affects all who love and care for that person. You yourself have likely experienced the tolls of addiction firsthand. Living with an addicted daughter, sister, or girlfriend is never easy, so know that you too deserve help and support.

Try to find a women’s drug rehab center that also offers some sort of family support services. At Turnbridge, for example, we encourage families to participate in our Family Program once a month to learn how to cope with their loved one’s addiction and how to support them through recovery.

When choosing a women’s drug rehab, it is important to look for centers that tailor their treatments to each gender, that understand the intricacies of addiction in women, that offer integrated, mental and trauma-related services, and that provide women with opportunities to connect and regain balance in their lives. 

This is step one, and we can help you through it. Call Turnbridge today at 877-581-1793 to learn about Drug Rehab for Women in Connecticut.