Previous research has shown that men and women experience things differently, whether through relationships, problematic situations, substance use, and more. Unfortunately, not enough information is geared directly towards women to make more informed decisions regarding their mental, physical, and spiritual health. When it comes to addiction, we all face unique challenges. Still, women may find that the social components and healing aspects of recovery can differ in quite unusual ways.
What better way to enhance our addiction recovery than to address many of the most critical aspects of our lives? The mind, body, and spirit represent a holistic view of healing. By taking this approach, we can focus on several topics that women face in addiction recovery: body image issues, parenting concerns, and healthy relationship guidance.
Women in Addiction Recovery: Pressures on Body Image
In society today, women feel unique pressures to look a certain way; magazines and social media can perpetuate particular looks and make women feel inadequate, which further adds strain and tension to women who are already dealing with so much daily. In previous years, researchers have found that women who have lower self-esteem tend to be at increased risk for abusing substances. Even at a young age, women can grow up to struggle with self-esteem and may turn towards alcohol or drugs to cope.
A negative body image can cause women to be at higher risk for depression and eating disorders. Sometimes, drugs feel like the only way out. Unfortunately, all this does is perpetuate the very problems women are experiencing – and that’s just one of the issues they face.
Women in Recovery: Struggles with Parenting
Even if some women push forward and pursue recovery, they may battle with parenting expectations placed upon them by society. The parent-child connection is crucial, but this can become broken if a woman battles with substance abuse.
Children, in particular, may struggle to rebuild their trust in their mother. Society can cause mothers to feel even worse about abusing substances in the first place because that’s not what they’re “supposed to do.” As some women may be exiting treatment and working to rebuild their lives at home, there are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Be honest about the past – both to yourself and your children
- Allow your child to express their feelings and say what they need to say, even if it hurts
- Make an active effort to become part of your child’s life
- Cherish the moments that you spend with your child.
There are several services that women in addiction recovery can benefit from, such as vocational therapy, parenting, and life skills classes, psychotherapy, and more. Mothers in recovery may need to “relearn” how to build a relationship with their children, recover from feelings of shame, recognize unrealistic expectations, and set goals while working towards them amid daily responsibilities.
Building Healthy Relationships
Relationship-building is a vital aspect of recovery. In fact, this social support can drive many women to continue pushing past all obstacles they encounter in recovery. Women who’ve previously battled with substance abuse may find that their social support was only beneficial in instances where alcohol or drugs were used. This can mean that women must make new connections that help them to thrive in recovery.
In years prior, researchers have found that women tend to change their “identity” throughout recovery. Recovering addicts change from a woman with an addiction to a woman in recovery with plenty of opportunities to overcome obstacles in life. Of course, part of this involves letting go of relationships that harm a woman’s success in healing and sobriety, such as:
- Toxic relationships – keeping relationships that are bad for your mental, physical and
spiritual health. - Codependent relationships – building relationships that maintain low self-esteem and
make it harder for a woman to make her own choices. - Enabling relationships – being with someone who only perpetuates unhealthy behavior
patterns and doesn’t inspire a woman’s recovery.
Our past can weigh heavily on the way we relate to others, and some women may have a strong pull towards relationships that don’t serve them in healthy ways. Part of the recovery process identifies the dangerousness of these relationships and provides some definitive methods for dealing with these as well.
There are many unique concerns to women, which makes them essential topics to address in recovery. If you’re ready to seek help for addiction, speak with a professional from Rancho Milagro Recovery today to learn more about treatment options and how specific services can be tailored towards women.Getting sober is a daunting process for anyone – and for women, it can be especially intimidating. We’ve all been in scenarios and situations throughout our lives (especially during our years of substance abuse) which made us feel frightened and powerless. It’s important to understand that recovery is all about reclaiming our power. It’s time to re-assert ourselves in our own lives, and take back control from the drugs and other substances which have held us hostage for so long. With the proper foundation for long-term sobriety, we can finally escape the situations and circumstances which have led to so much pain and suffering for ourselves and others. Recovery is one of the most meaningful and life-affirming decisions we can make for yourselves. At Rancho Milagro Recovery, you’re sure to find a community of like-minded individuals, supported by compassionate and experienced staff for a safe, comfortable journey. If it’s time to make a change in your life, call today at (951) 526-4582.