Women’s Addiction Treatment Resources

Women’s Rehab – Drug & Alcohol Treatment Programs & Centers

Women’s rehab programs in the United States focus on helping women with addictions and include:

Bedrock Recovery Center, Canton, Massachusetts

Specialized rehab programs for pregnant women.

Contact information:

1 Meadowbrook Way
Canton, MA 02021
(877) 264-0976

BRC Recovery, Manor, Texas

Women’s recovery center accredited by the Joint Commission offers long-term programs and aftercare.

Contact information:

11503 Parsons Rd.
Manor, TX 78653
(866) 905-4550

New Directions, Costa Mesa, California

Gender-specific services and health care.

Contact information:

2607 Willo Lane
Costa Mesa, CA 92

Phoenix House, Queens, New York

Co-ed gender-separate program offering dual-diagnosis treatment, group therapy, and more.

Contact information:

3425 Vernon Blvd.
Queens, NY 11106
(844) 815-1508

UnityPoint Health, Peoria, Illinois

Hospital-based women’s treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women.

Contact information:

3400 New Leaf Lane
Peoria, IL 61615

(888) 311-0321

Are There Women-Only Rehab Centers?

Yes. Women’s recovery centers focus on mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual support. This approach is the most effective in assisting women in dealing with their addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Conversely, men’s addiction recovery programs tend to be more goal-oriented. This isn’t always the best approach for women. 

Addiction programs offer an environment where women can relax and avoid contact with men during their recovery. This is important because many women are abused due to or concerning their addiction.

Additionally, many drug and alcohol rehab centers for women treat co-occurring disorders and mental health conditions. Women are more likely to experience different mental health issues than men. Treatment must address both addiction and mental health disorders to be most effective.

Women-only rehab programs might consist of some or all of the following components:

• Safe space
• Round-the-clock medical supervision and support
• Long-term treatment options up to 12 months
• Outpatient rehab to help with the transition back to regular living
• Childcare or parenting support
• Pregnancy support

Is Women-Only Rehab Right for You?

Women-only rehab might be right for you if you:

• Struggle in your relationships with men
• Have been abused by men
• Feel relaxed and comfortable around women
• Enjoy being with peers
• Need a safe environment
• Are a mother
• Prefer to address issues such as body image, self-esteem, or parenting in your recovery
• Have co-occurring mental health issues
• Want to avoid relapse

Gender-specific rehab isn’t the only option available to women with addiction. Other programs include:

• Co-ed drug rehab centers
• Individual counseling
• Co-ed group therapy
• Free rehab
• Faith-based rehab
• SMART recovery
• 12-step programs
• Veterans’ services
• First Responder services
• LGBTQ

These programs can be used instead of or in conjunction with female-only rehab.

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Addiction Treatment Resources

The following are helpful resources for women addicted to drugs or alcohol:

• https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Screening Tools and Prevention
• https://nida.nih.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals/screening-tools-prevention
• National Institute on Drug Abuse: Treatment Resources
• https://nida.nih.gov/nidamed-medical-health-professionals/treatment/addiction-treatment

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How Does Addiction Affect Women Differently?

Anyone can develop an addiction to drugs or alcohol. However, how the addiction affects each person varies based on sex and gender differences and other factors.

For example, women develop substance use disorders for different reasons than men. They also tend to maintain sobriety for different reasons.

For addiction recovery programs to be successful, they must address these differences. This is true whether or not it’s a gender-specific or co-ed program.

There are three primary reasons women develop substance use issues and addictions. They include:

• Past or ongoing trauma
• Prescription medications for mood disorders and mental health issues
• Joining a male partner or other family members in addictive behavior

There are also differences in addiction and recovery processes related to biology.

For example, a woman’s menstrual cycle affects her drug cravings. This is due, in part, to the fact that fluctuations in steroid hormone levels during the menstruation cycle affect neurological responses to rewards.

Statistics of Addiction in Women

• As of 2021, more than 26 million adult females (approximately 20 percent of the US population) reported the use of illicit drugs in the last year.
• Women tend to experience more intense withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings than men.
• Women are more susceptible to addiction due to their hormones.
• Women experience more cardiovascular effects from drug use.
• Women are more likely to visit the ER and/or die from overdose.¹
• Women are more likely to use drugs with their partners.
• Women struggle with both alcohol and illegal drug use at a rate of 5%.²
• Despite drug use being a prevalent issue for women, only 20% of those in drug treatment programs are women.²

Women typically begin using drugs in smaller dosages. However, their drug use more quickly escalates into an addiction.

Women also deal with a variety of issues indirectly linked to their addiction. For example, women with addictions more frequently experience:

• Violence in relationships
• Involvement with child protective services
• Homelessness
• Dependency on others for financial support

Summary

Women tend to develop addictions for different reasons than men. Their biological differences also play a role in their addiction and their recovery. Many women also deal with physical or emotional abuse from men concerning their addiction. 

For these and other reasons, women’s only rehab programs might be more beneficial for women than co-ed programs.

Addiction can also occur during specific times in a woman’s life when she needs more support than usual. Rehab programs are available for pregnant women and women dealing with mental health issues.

Determining whether a gender-specific rehab program is the best option for you is important. You have access to various treatment resources focusing on issues affecting women almost exclusively. If you seek treatment, many resources address the challenges of addiction in general.

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