Trauma is a unique aspect of the human experience. It’s unifying, in some sense—everybody experiences trauma, but we do so in vastly different ways. Trauma is a kind of emergent property of being alive and changes based on our lives. It stands to reason that our commonalities, where we live, what our jobs are, and even our genders can impact the way trauma forms and how we respond to it. Understanding the relationship between women and trauma means exploring what women have in common and how the shared female experience influences the roots of addiction.

Addiction can become a response to trauma regardless of gender. When treating addiction rooted in a traumatic experience, it’s important to examine more than treating the substance abuse element. At Footprints Beachside Recovery, we know how deeply the challenges of trauma can feed into addictive behavior. Our gender-specific treatment is designed to address the individual struggle women face dealing with compound addiction and trauma. For those in need, call us at 727-954-3908 today to learn more about our women’s rehab center in Treasure Island, Florida.

Examining the Effects of Trauma on Women

Not all women will experience the same kinds of trauma. However, women tend to experience certain types of trauma more often than men. These include trauma related to the following:

• Childbirth
• Miscarriage
• Postpartum depression
• Domestic abuse
• Sexual assault

The higher potential for these incidents to happen to women means the ensuing trauma is more common across the board. That also means individuals who attempt to self-medicate may begin doing so for similar reasons to other women. This is essential knowledge for your treatment specialist or therapist. Overcoming addiction has to happen on multiple levels; if trauma is one of them, transparency is of the utmost importance.

Other instances of trauma that can lead to addiction include:

• Events in which the person felt powerless or helpless
• Histories of physical and emotional abuse
• Neglect in childhood
• Inconsistency in parenting
• Loss of a loved one or other profoundly difficult event

These are common in men and women but can be more pronounced for many women. Addiction, women, and trauma also correlate on a biological level. When it comes to self-medicating in response to traumatic events, the effects of drug abuse impact each gender differently. For instance, men can flush alcohol and drugs from their bodies faster than women of comparable weights, ages, and histories of substance use. As a result, organ atrophy is accelerated in women with identical drug intake, leading to worsening health.

Why Gender-Specific Care Is Important

In light of these experiential trends with women and trauma, adjusting the way treatment is performed for clients of each gender makes a noticeable difference. With gender-specific treatment for substance abuse, women are able to view their experience with addiction in its totality, as well as participate in discussions among other women. Our female therapists are experienced not just in analyzing addiction but have the advantage of bringing their entire life experience to the table.

Gender-specific care branches into group therapy, too. Opening up with other women about trauma gives all clients a major advantage in overcoming addiction. Our curated environment is conducive to more specific and, therefore, more effective care. Again, addiction and trauma are both highly individual. Personalizing our clients’ care is a core part of recovery.

Heal from Trauma with Gender-Specific Treatment at Footprints Beachside Recovery

If you’re searching for specialty women’s treatment, we’re here to help. At Footprints Beachside Recovery, we champion the idea that peer wisdom is integral to realizing that overcoming addiction is a challenge you can surmount. Our treatment center in Treasure Island, Florida, is where you can contact therapists and peer groups to help address your addiction and its roots. Contact us today at 727-954-3908 to learn how gender-specific care can make a difference in your life.