Women, Drugs and Treatment Issues - Essay Example

Women, Drugs and Treatment Issues Introduction Studies indicate that women involved in drug abuse have an increased susceptibility to unfavorable results of abuse, dependence and drug use. Generally, females press on more quickly than males from use to usual use to first treatment occurrence. Additionally, despite fewer years of use and slighter quantities of drugs used, their substance abuse symptom severity is normally equal to that of males when they get into treatment (Back et.al, 2006). Brady & Ashley (2008) state that substance uses by women is connected to traumatic occurrences or stressors including abrupt physical sickness, physical and sexual harassment or abuse, accident, or commotion in family life. Females with substance use disorders are considerably more likely to display recent physical, emotional or sexual abuse. In addition, examination of women who abuse drugs indicates more difficulties linked to sexual and physical abuse and familial hostility oppression compared to their male counterparts. Several studies have revealed that females with depression will more probably smoke cigarettes in addition to being less thriving in smoking termination efforts. In addition, proof indicates that there is a strong correlation between trauma, posttraumatic stress chaos and substance use disorders among women. Jeopardy of substance use disorders in women is also linked with early life stress, especially sexual abuse, which is more common in girls. Moreover, females exposed to aggression in old age also display higher risk for alcohol and drug use. Sexual or corporal misuse of females is a global problem that is frequently committed by a male partner or other male family members (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Social aspects that women encounter, especially family setting, also lead to substance use. Different from men with alcohol dependence, females with alcohol dependence are more probable to have examples in their nuclear families or partners who are also alcohol-dependent. In addition, a survey in adolescent smokers showed that most females smoked in order to control their weight and would stop smoking to gain weight. Moreover, females are more likely to quote stressful life occurrences and interpersonal stressors as grounds for substance use and deterioration (Back et.al, 2006). In several regions of the world, especially those going through economic reformation, economic hardships have caused females to indulge in such activities as sex work and drug trafficking for survival. This leads to substance use by women in these regions (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). It is widely renowned that the need to build relationships with others is a major inspiration in women’s psychological development. Consequently, relationships or loss of relationships might cause substance use in women. Females might use substances to address offensive relationships, to fill the space left by unsuccessful relationships or to uphold relationships. Nevertheless, conventional treatment methods frequently center on the person and have failed to comprehend and deal with relational concerns in women’s lives. This has accelerated the problem of substance use by women and has not entirely addressed this problem. Women also get involved in substance abuse due to their marginalization in the social, legal and economic frameworks of their lives. Moreover, various issues including physical disability, lack of mobility, language and artistic issues, aggression and abuse, separation, age, poverty, homelessness and lack of essential living supports all feature into women’s substance use and characteristically comprise impediments to engagement and resurgence (Bang et al, 2010). Studies show that the use of illegal drugs by females affects stages of their menstrual cycles. In addition, women expand a dependence on drugs for instance heroine and cocaine more speedily than men (Bang et al, 2010). Brady & Ashley (2008) assert that in addition to a variety of medical predicaments, female substance abusers are at augmented risk for psychological problems. These include severe psychiatric conditions such as nervousness, despair, phobias, psychosexual disorders, bipolar affective disorder, eating disorders and posttraumatic pressure disorder. For instance, a study found that the beginning of psychiatric disorders headed the start of substance use disorders more frequently in females than in males. Additionally, substance-dependent women are more likely to be in need of help for affecting problems at a tender age and to have attempted suicide than substance-dependent males. Another consequence of using illicit drugs by women is that they have higher death rates compared to men, and are more susceptible to HIV infection. For instance, approximately half of all new HIV test reports among females were pointed to injection drug use, whereas rates for men were considerably lower. Moreover, use of substances in the time of pregnancy can affect the growth and development of the fetus and newborns. Among others, these effects might include low birth weight, early delivery, miscarriage, and development problems, for example fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (Bang et al, 2010). Coletti (2010) indicates that most substance-using women encounter problems other than their compulsion. They often have frequent health, monetary, social, lawful, and psychological problems, including lack of education, emotional hardships, poor housing and insufficient income. Sword, et al (2009) adds that besides experiencing mental and physical health predicaments, these females frequently have individual histories of exposure to physical and sexual abuse and other relational problems, unconstructive or insufficient social support systems, and connection with the criminal justice system. A buildup of these postnatal risk situations merged with prenatal substance exposure leads to increased childhood susceptibility to poor results. Consequently, the problems mothers face can reduce their capability to provide for their childrens emotional and physical requirements. Women substance use is linked with bounded parenting capability and an increased probability that their children are exposed to mistreatment including abandonment and issues that have unconstructive developmental continuation for children. Children of women with drug abuse issues are also compromised since they have inadequate chances to develop the social skills and interactions that can help to bumper against risk. Although general consciousness of compulsion in women has increased, there are limitations in the recognition and treatment of substance use disorders in females. Generally, females tend to search for treatment at primary care or mental health clinics, instead of addiction treatment plans. It is therefore essential to screen for drug abuse among females in those settings (Back et.al, 2006). Bang et al (2010) agrees that women face barriers in respect to information, referral and identification concerns. Community rejection of women’s drug abuse can keep health care workers, hospitals, doctors, police, and employers from asking the suitable questions. In addition, women are frequently not well supported by relatives, partners and others in their resurgence attempts, compared with men. Insufficient referral systems and lack of suitable services also exhibit more barriers for the women who do seek help. Issues such as shame, denial, depression, and fear of losing their children, are among the key barriers that women face in treatment. Females may fear that their spouses will leave them or abuse them if they look for treatment services. In addition to these self-imposed hindrances, other common barriers include lack of childcare, lack of transportation, insecure housing, waiting lists for treatment slots, limited service accessibility for pregnant women, and lack of money. Women only seek treatment for a number of reasons, including pressure from the legal system, family pressure and concern for their children (Coletti, 2010). Women are more likely to have main responsibility for children hence essential services such as childcare, child programming, parenting programming and prenatal care are mainly significant for their treatment. Nevertheless, the treatment system has historically lacked the ability to provide these essential services. For instance, research literature has constantly shown the effectiveness of residential treatment services that females can access with their children (Bang et al, 2010). Females with psychiatric disorders and co-occurring drug abuse also face distinctive barriers to substance abuse treatment for example, social stigma attached to both conditions; difficulty in getting a dual disorder assessment and diagnosis; and inadequate knowledge and training among healthcare providers, mental health services or substance abuse treatment services to manage coexisting disorders (Brady & Ashley, 2008). In the psychosocial aspect, the major emotional state of women is one of worry and fear about imprisonment for use of drugs during pregnancy, arrest, loss of baby’s custody, and trial. The womens psychosocial reaction is described by fear toward health care providers and child welfare personnel and toward revelation of their drug use during pregnancy. The women are fearful of the process of seeking help in general and they fear presenting and not presenting their status (Jessup et al, 2003). Women seeking treatment are more likely to be residing with dependent children compared to men counterparts. Lack of childcare is perhaps the most reliable factor limiting women’s treatment access identified in literature and case studies. Few substance abuse treatment programs are sponsored to offer childcare or programming for children although society is rightly concerned about the children’s interests (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Women in treatment are more likely to have more children living in their residences, to be more concerned about issues related to children in addition to being responsible for the care of children compared to men. One of the most important and most frequently cited barriers among females who seek treatment and women with substance use disorders is responsibility for children, coupled with little access to childcare services. Referrals for substance abuse treatment programs in the past often have overlooked to accommodate the needs of low-income women with children, for example by offering childcare and transportation (Brady & Ashley, 2008). Pregnant and parenting women may encounter economic effects from treatment seeking. Recent studies have estimated that between 5and 35 percent of women receiving Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) have a substance abuse problem that can obstruct their ability to work. Substance-abusing women are unlikely to get or keep employment, and their ability to give care for their children is reduced, if suitable substance abuse treatment is not obtained (Brady & Ashley, 2008). Some factors such as cultural norms that do not allow women to leave their communities, lack of transportation to get to treatment and the costs associated with women’s childcare, treatment and family responsibilities make it hard for many women to leave their communities to go for residential treatment. Women may also encounter problems in getting outpatient programs that are some distance from where they live even if they are located in the same city or community. Compared to men, women may have to wait longer to go in for treatment, mainly residential treatment. Failure to give an instant response or support to women following the first contact can result in women being lost to treatment (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Unlike their feelings about the need of prenatal care, women view substance abuse treatment as a remote and unknown source of help and they do not identify it as an instant requirement during pregnancy. They perceive treatment mainly as a condition for keeping or reclaiming custody of their children or for transitioning out of jail to a supportive environment. In addition, they do not view treatment programs as places that would have been of key assistance to them during pregnancy. In some cases, women interpret ‘treatment’ to be a two or three day physical detoxification wherein no other services are provided (Jessup, etal, 2003). For all women, but mainly for those who have encountered physical or sexual abuse or whose present lives are very vulnerable to violence, for example women engaged in sex work; lack of physical safety inside and outside the treatment program setting can be a barrier to going into and staying in treatment. Safety issues can vary from men being able to access women’s sleeping areas in residential treatment to services being situated in insecure areas (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Systemic barriers are other barriers that women face. These barriers obstruct the expansion of services that respond to women’s needs. A number of these barriers are not exact to the development of substance-use treatment services but may also be true for other health-related services such as HIV-risk reduction programs or heart-health programs. Significant systemic barriers for women include lack of decision making, childcare and limited awareness of gender differences in factors that determine health status and outcome (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). In addition, some therapeutic approaches, such as confrontational models frequently used in traditional therapeutic communities, present a special barrier for female substance abusers because they frequently ‘reenact’ traumatic experiences and may produce feelings of distress and powerlessness linked with such experiences (Brady & Ashley, 2008). Underrepresentation of women in positions of power can influence resource allocation and policy development. Women are mostly absent from parliaments, making up only approximately 14 per cent of members on average, with no systematic variations between rich and poor countries. This makes it more complex to make the relevant bodies aware of the need for research and developing policies that tackle gender issues and for resource allocation directed to women’s substance abuse treatment (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Moreover, substance-abusing women often lack knowledge regarding treatment service accessibility and the means by which to access that service. This simplicity, coupled with their fear of the system, frequently comprises the major barrier in getting them into a treatment center. Environmental factors, such as lack of social support and single parenthood, may have a negative result on an individual’s ability to go into treatment (Coletti, 2010). Several factors, other than access to traditional health services, influence personal health status. The physical environment, housing, income, employment, education, personal health practices and biology can give to differences in health status between individuals. There are also gender differences in many of these factors that need to be taken into account in designing health services, including substance abuse services. For instance, women usually have lower incomes, which can influence their ability to keep good health or pay for needed health services (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Other barriers to treatment in substance abusing women include limitations on the number and ages of children who go with their mothers to treatment coupled with other onerous pie admittance prerequisites. While some females are able to leave their children with a family caregiver, drug-addicted mothers normally experience the challenge of leaving their children in foster care in order to go into treatment (Jessup, et al, 2003). Women who engage in substance abuse often consider treatment as a means of averting the unconstructive results of their substance use, for instance loss of childcare or confinement. At each phase of the treatment admission procedure, particular prominence should be placed on the commitment of women: outreach, referral, and intake. Females should be given preadmission intercession services that decrease genuine and distinguished barriers to treatment and augment their aptitude to change to a program (Coletti, 2010). Studies have indicated that supplemental education sittings for women in substance abuse treatment are very valuable. One randomized research assessed a treatment plan that complemented standard drug abuse treatment with weekly psychosocial workshops on various topics. These topics covered boldness and communication skills, sexual and reproductive structure, breast health and breast self-assessment and sexually transmitted diseases. This approach developed positive attitudes toward engaging in safer sex and augmented self-worth. In addition, numerous nonrandomized researches assessed supplemental psycho educational sittings and workshops. They assessed standard drug abuse treatment supplemented with seminars as the focus of an intervention program. This, coupled with other intercession elements including child care and prenatal or health care, the giving of learning materials and behavioral plans and all-inclusive program reform to tackle the particular needs of women in substance abuse (Brady & Ashley, 2008). It is also important to adapt efficient strategies that consider differences in life circumstances, language, social roles and culture of women. In areas where it is hard for females to come out of their communities, community-based, outpatient programming is a winning approach. Additionally, high rates of trauma and simultaneous mental health disorders are very common among females with substance use problems; hence, they need an incorporated treatment response. Significant approaches include accepting and admitting the matter for clients, supporting staff from services that manage severe trauma to substance abuse treatment services, avoiding pressuring women to disclose trauma, ensuring eminence control in the evaluation of trauma issues and upholding privacy (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). Maintenance rates can be augmented by the provision of truthful case management services devised to help soothe a woman and make the conversion to treatment easier. The growth of a relationship of shared trust and respect that frequently requires a lot of time and exertion helps potential clients to deal with fear. For instance, if a woman is frightened that government interference might lead to the loss of care of her children, these fears might be trounced if she is given information concerning how such laws and plan directives affect her. In this case, the clinician can establish trust by explaining the privacy directives of the agency and the reporting conditions for child abuse and abandonment in a manner that shows that he or she has the program participant’s interests in mind (Coletti, 2010). Significant approaches to address this problem include family planning, activities that prop up connection between mother and unborn child and stimulating women to think of their individual long-term health requirements, pretreatment inspiration programs, and consciousness and attitude training for pre- and post-natal caregivers. Other approaches include support for mother and child to stay in one place, for instance mother-child units in suburban care and good management and training in self-care skills for staff who work with expectant, substance-using women. In addition, harm lessening strategies for pregnant and parenting women who are still in substance use is very significant (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2004). The provision of all-inclusive services, before and all through the enrollment era for drug-abuse treatment services, is a successful strategy in addressing individual problems of substance-abusing mothers. This strategy further facilitates the booming treatment of program partakers, especially mothers of small children. Moreover, a drug abuse therapist’s or case manager’s remedial style might affect treatment result. Patients of those counselors who have precise empathy normally have better treatment results. Moreover, counselor empathy has been recognized as a major element in successful brief interventions. Considerate empathy received by the client strengthens the treatment relationship while lack of empathy often leads clients to withdraw in advance from treatment (Coletti, 2010). Sword, et al (2009) suggests that by way of interaction, women in substance abuse are granted the chance to comprehend and work through their problems while being given support and back up. Constructive interactional experiences inspire confidence in their aptitude to be successful in the upturn process and improve insights of self and others. In addition, women provide and get feedback and advice to and from each other respectively. In some cases, they learn from one another through role modeling of parental actions and sharing experiences in which they eventually feel that others esteem and care for them. The capability to organize the support of others proposes that besides developing individual agency, women also develop interpersonal agency. Moreover, the associations with other women in comparable circumstances reduce feelings of segregation and detachment and, in some cases, real friendships develops. It as well is very important that program staff members be trained to be culturally knowledgeable, which means having the capability to perform an individual’s professional work so that it is similar to the performance and anticipations that members of a culture identify as suitable among themselves. Characteristics of ethnic proficiency that helps in addressing substance use issues among women include being open to cultural disparities, recognizing cultural honesty, methodical learning style, having a consciousness of one’s own cultural restraints and using cultural resources (Coletti, 2010). Another active approach to womens revival is giving and receiving of social support. Precedent experiences generated restrain in looking for support such that females had to learn to trust the support at their own pace. The social support obtained within program collections might eventually enable females to accept help with no resentment, compulsion and force that can cause extra stress. Moreover, some studies have shown that social support frequently serves to reduce or buffer womens numerous stressors (Sword, et al, 2009). Conclusion Apparently, women engage in substance abuse due to several reasons including numerous stresses in life, physical and sexual abuse, social aspects and economic hardships. Due to engaging in substance abuse, these women experience various negative consequences. These include loss of their children’s custody, arrest and inability to work. Treatment of this disorder is faced with diverse barriers including system, structural and program barriers. Proper and effective strategies should be put in place in order to address these issues thereby helping these women get access to proper treatment. References Back, S.E. et al. (2010). Substance Abuse in Women: Does Gender Matter? Retrieved from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/substance-abuse/content/article/10168/46496 Bang, D. et al. (2010). Best Practices in Action: Guidelines and Criteria for Women’s Substance Abuse Treatment Services. Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rVZnnT_0l7MJ:www.jeantweed.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket%3D7UYWg2fHv0%253D%26tabid%3D107%26mid%3D514+women+and+drug+abuse:+system+barriers+that+gives+women+access+to+treatment&hl=en&gl=ke Brady, T.M & Ashley, O.S. (2008). Women in Substance Abuse Treatment: Results from the Alcohol and Drug Services Study. Retrieved from http://oas.samhsa.gov/WomenTX/WomenTX.htm Coletti, S.D. (2010). Service Providers and Treatment Access Issues. Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:QwEm1iqG1CYJ:archives.drugabuse.gov/PDF/DARHW/237244_Coletti.pdf+women+and+drug+abuse:+system+barriers+that+gives+women+access+to+treatment&hl=en&gl=ke Jessup, M.A. et al. (2003). Extrinsic Barriers to Substance Abuse Treatment among Pregnant Drug Dependent Women. The Journal of Drug Issues, 22, 426, 285-304. Sword, W. et al. (2009). Integrated programs for women with substance use issues and their children: a qualitative meta-synthesis of processes and outcomes. Harm Reduction Journal, 6, 1, 1477-7517. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2004). Substance abuse treatment and care for women: Case studies and lessons learned. Retrieved from http://www.unodc.org/docs/treatment/Case_Studies_E.pdf Read More