Women’s health is a very important issue to the staff at Destination Hope: The Women’s Program. Our drug and alcohol rehab programs are specifically designed to treat women, so their needs are our main focus and top priority. That said, to be an effective treatment center it is important for us to have a good understanding of women’s health issues in general so that we can address any co-occurring issues during treatment.
In part of the ongoing effort of keeping women’s health in mind and as top priority, Destination Hope: The Women’s Program has added a womens health section to the website in order to help educate the public on important issues. The women’s health pages will cover a variety of topics including:
Sexual Abuse and Assault
According to surveys and studies, as many as two-thirds of all women in addiction treatment centers have suffered from sexual abuse at some point. Sexual abuse is obviously an issue that is an important factor in addiction and women’s health in general. Women often turn to substance abuse as a form of self-medication for traumas such as this.
Depression
Depression is another issue that is often self-medicated with substance abuse by women. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression, and therefore it is something that takes more emphasis on treatment as a part of a women’s treatment program. Depression is treated at Destination Hope as part of our dual diagnosis program.
Pregnancy
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a form of depression that some women can experience after giving birth. It can affect between ten and twenty percent of all women. Again, PPD is an issue, which must be treated as a dual diagnosis with a substance abuse problem. It is important to get treatment early.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder affect between thirty and fifty-nine percent of all women in substance abuse treatment programs. It is an important women’s health issue, as it is another problem that women often self-medicate. It can cause anxiety, depression, flashbacks, insomnia and nightmares.
Compulsive Eating
Compulsive eating is an ailment that holds many parallels to addiction and is commonly present in those who suffer from addiction, especially in women. Because of the parallels, it is important that this issue be treated along with a substance addiction.
Codependency
Codependent relationships are also most common in women. Codependence leads to unhealthy and destructive relationships. Treatment of codependency is very specific and must be supervised by specially certified and licensed therapists, who are available at Destination Hope: The Women’s Program.
Addictive Substances
The women’s health section of the Destination Hope: The Women’s Program website also provides specific information on many different addictive substances including: alcohol, benzodiazepine, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, GHB, marijuana, Oxycodone, Percocet, prescription drugs, Roxicet, Valium, Vicodin and Xanax.
Destination Hope: The Women’s Program truly cares about womens health and by providing this section on the topic, hopes to be able to educate women who need information on these topics. In getting better educated it is hoped that more women are able to access the help that they need for their addictions and co-occurring problems.
