Substance Use Disorders in Women

Abstract

This chapter focuses on substance use disorders in women, including incidence, diagnosis, treatment approaches and their impact, and barriers to treatment. It offers suggestions for therapeutic considerations specific to women and provides guidance for those professionals engaged in the challenging but profoundly rewarding work of counseling substance-abusing women. Although biological differences between men and women influence alcohol and drug use, family and peer socialization may also account for gender differences. Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are the most commonly used substances among women of childbearing age, making the risk of substance-exposed pregnancies (SEP) very high. Clinical interviews guided by standard questions and probes are likely the most reliable and valid means of detecting alcohol and drug use disorders and rendering a diagnosis, if warranted. Women also face a number of barriers to accessing treatment for their substance abuse problems. They are more likely to be poor and without insurance, and they have a higher probability of divorce during treatment. Findings on chemically dependent women suggest that family therapy is likely to be useful. Women entering drug treatment have been noted to be socially isolated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)