The Canyon

In a well publicized article in the UK’s The Sun, Lindsay dished the details on her drug and alcohol use, how her abuse of specific drugs affected her and scared her and went on to say that she was done with that behavior as a result.

It appears that that was a resolution that quickly faded for Ms. Lohan. After London and Atlantic City, Lindsay was busted in Los Angeles partying with drugs and alcohol as per her usual not once, not twice but for three consecutive nights.

Concerns for Loved Ones On the Edge of Drug Addiction

While paparazzi and close friends publicize Lindsay’s nights out at Bardot Hollywood or Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, gossip about her apparently ongoing desire to rekindle a relationship with ex-girlfriend, Samantha Ronson, and discuss the actress’s worn appearance, others are expressing concern for Lindsay and worry that she’s headed to a dark place with drug abuse and addiction and potentially should go back to rehab before that happens.

One friend close to Lindsay told the press that Lindsay “needs help. She needs to solve her problems. She’s just not taking care of herself.”

Michael Lohan, her estranged father, is concerned as well. Though Lindsay say that it was Michael who first introduced her to cocaine, Michael blames Lindsay’s behavior on her feelings about his divorce from her mother.

Michael Lohan told People Magazine that: “The reason Lindsay tries to drown her sorrows and mask her pain was because of my divorce from her mother, which in turn tore her apart.”

How to Help Friends and Loved Ones with Drug Abuse Issues

It’s a difficult spot to be in: someone you care for has had obvious difficulties curtailing drug and alcohol abuse in the past, but they claim that they are now okay and can use socially without any long-term detrimental effect. Support them on this and you could be aiding them as they sink deeper into addiction. Fight them on it and you could lose contact with someone you care for deeply as they fall irrevocably further into a life that will eventually kill them.

So how do you help your friend or loved one effectively? First, don’t make it the focus of every interaction with them. When their drug and alcohol addiction or their behavior under the influence hurts you, someone else or them physically or emotionally, take note.

Next, find others who share your concerns. If drug and alcohol addiction is truly a problem, then there are others who have noticed as well: family members, significant others, siblings, close friends, bosses or mentors. Gathering a handful of these people together for an intervention can be an effective way to allow everyone to communicate their concerns and convince your friend that it’s time to get help at a drug rehab.

Finally, you need to be prepared that your friend may or may not accept help. For everyone in any relationship, there are deal breakers. Drug and alcohol addiction or continued abuse of drugs is likely one of yours, especially when it means that you have to watch your friend hurt themselves and others. Let them know that if they don’t get the help they need for themselves, that you will no longer be a part of their life. And then follow through: if they choose drug rehab, be there to support them with letters, phone calls and visits and make sure you are available and supportive when they come home. If they choose not to go to rehab, then walking away and maintaining your distance is the right thing to do for both of you.

Pregnancy and Drug Addiction

While the dangers of exposing your unborn child to drugs and alcohol are clear, researchers have discovered that actually engaging soon-to-be moms with questions about their substance use is still quite muddled. The risks are paramount, yet doctors are reluctant to talk to their prenatal patients with anything more than the outdated “Drugs are bad. You shouldn’t do drugs because they’ll hurt the baby,” routine.

Probing the Subject of Drug and Alcohol Use: A Catch-22

Dr. Richard Frankel, a medical sociologist elaborates, “Pregnant women are sensitive about being asked about substance abuse and some healthcare providers may feel that talking about these issues will compromise the provider-patient relationship, however, the evidence suggests that the benefits of a frank discussion about substance abuse far outweigh the costs to the relationship….

“Previous studies have shown that one minute of a doctor’s time for tobacco counseling has a measureable effect on attempts to quit smoking. We believe a similar strategy could be used to teach providers to engage pregnant women in brief but effective discussions of alcohol and drug abuse risks,” he says.

Better Prenatal Communication Leads to Reduced Drug Dependence

Could it be that medical professionals are in denial about the extensive nature of drug and alcohol use among pregnant women? That’s not to say that all women who use substances during pregnancy are addicts, but even so, free campaign literature for sobriety during pregnancy and while breastfeeding are practically a moms-to-be first shower gift. The intentions are good, but the message gets tossed in the trash all too often.

Physicians and midwives need immediate access to drug and alcohol rehab referrals, along with training in how to approach patients in a nonjudgmental, nonthreatening way. Partnering with local counseling and therapy services makes information available to all women – not just those who may look as if they’re at risk for abusing alcohol or illicit drugs.

“Obstetrical care providers may be more comfortable dealing with tobacco but alcohol and illicit drugs are just as, if not more, important to address. Doctors and midwives need to know what resources are available for counseling and which of these programs are most likely to work for expectant mothers. By helping the patient with alcohol and or drug abuse the provider can make a major difference in the health of the baby throughout his or her lifetime,” urges Dr. Frankel.

Tell Us: Would you be more likely to get help for a drug or alcohol problem while pregnant if you knew there was somewhere safe you could go for help?

Women with a dual diagnosis such as bipolar disorder and drug or alcohol addiction have a greater chance of being involved in the criminal justice system than women without a dual diagnosis. That’s a lot to swallow – in essence, bipolar and addiction can set women up for a criminal record. Men with this diagnosis combination have yet a greater risk for criminal activity. Nonetheless, untreated bipolar and addiction is a nasty combination – a ticking time bomb for disaster.

Reports on Women and Dual Diagnosis in Prison

In a 2005 workshop from a Women’s Mental Health conference in the UK, Marcia Rice reports some startling statistics. While working in the US, UK, and Europe for 15 years, she found that over 60% of women in prison receive treatment for mental illness. Also, many women in prison have experienced trauma and abuse in their past. Interestingly, she also reports that creative therapies such as art therapy, singing, drama, and music were needed to meet women’s mental health needs.

According to another report about a Midwestern US jail from 1999, women make up only 10% of the prison population but have over twice the rate of mental illness as men. A stunning 75% of women with mental illness also had a co-occurring addiction.

Women generally acquire an addiction through emotional pathways. This helps to explain the high rate of overlap between mental illness and addictions among women in prison. Overall, women tend to have more mental health needs than men while in prison, and are not likely to be placed in facilities that can meet these needs.

After Prison for Women With Dual Diagnosis

The concern becomes re-entry into the community. What happens to the women who’ve been in prison for several years, getting hit-or-miss mental illness and addiction treatment? When they return to their hometown, how many have really had the kind of dual diagnosis drug rehab that treats the whole person, especially for a woman?

Certainly, many prisons and jails are trying to make the experience more of a rehabilitation than strictly punishment. And with women-only prisons and detention centers, there are now more opportunities than ever before to focus on the needs of women. However, studies in women’s addiction are a more recent phenomenon. Putting this important research information into practice takes time.

Studies in women’s addiction has been a more recent phenomenon. There are certainly many fine drug rehab facilities all over the United States. However, the holistic drug treatment approach is still somewhat of a unique option. It is therapeutic for both men and women alike, but this approach speaks especially well to the needs of women. The sense of community and connection fostered in a holistic healing environment is of particular importance for women.

Holistic Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab Helps Women

The Canyon is a holistic dual diagnosis drug rehab well-suited for women. Finding excellent dual diagnosis treatment can be challenging enough. When a woman needs residential treatment, she needs to look no further than The Canyon. Contact The Canyon now to ask questions and begin the journey of holistic addiction recovery.

We’ve talked about women and the need for alcohol rehab, how more and more women are becoming alcoholics, and how depression and alcoholism affect women. Recently we even talked about women who are pregnant and in need of alcohol rehab. Today, we’re going to check out how pregnant women interact with another addictive substance: cocaine.

The Effects of Cocaine During Pregnancy

According to PLoS Medicine and Medical News Today, “when mothers use cocaine during pregnancy, the exposure of the developing brain to the substance can cause specific neurological and behavioral abnormalities.”

It’s the development of the fetus’ brain that is of primary concern, and a recent study focused on exactly how cocaine works during pregnancy to create these adverse effects. It turns out that cocaine metabolism affects how cells interact with each other, signal each other and basically work together to produce proteins that the baby needs for a healthy brain.

But it’s not just the brain development of the baby that is affected during prenatal cocaine use: the long-term health of the child is impaired when cocaine is present in utero. In fact, structural changes in the DNA occur, which in turn cause structural changes in your child.

Do You Need Cocaine Addiction Treatment During Pregnancy?

As if those who are struggling with drug addiction don’t have it hard enough in terms of stereotypes and the belittling judgments of strangers, just add a child to the mix and watch that judgment turn into outright disdain. It’s difficult to get treatment even when you aren’t pregnant. If you need cocaine addiction treatment, The Canyon can provide that to you without judgment. We congratulate you on making a healthy choice for you and your child expeditiously. Putting your child first starts with putting yourself first. Get the help you need to stay healthy and give your child the start he or she deserves.

Women are complex creatures – not many people would argue this point. Unfortunately, they become even more complex when mental illness and addiction is thrown in. Emotions are important to men and women, but they play a unique role in the onset of mental illness and addictions. This means that effective drug alcohol rehab must include methods that address the unique needs of women.

Mental Illness and Addiction Under-reported

Health professionals generally agree that the true number of people suffering from mental health and substance abuse diagnoses is somewhat unknown. Because of social stigma and distorted thoughts, many people simply don’t tell anyone that something is wrong.

It is estimated that mental disorders and substance abuse problems are under-reported during pregnancy and the postpartum period. No mother wants to appear that she is unwell or doing a poor job of caring for her child. Many pregnant women with addiction or mental illness simply sweep them under the rug, keeping silent about their problems for many months or years.

Differences Between Women and Men With Mental Illness and Addiction

Women also acquire the same mental illnesses and addictions to the same drugs that men do. However, the emotional center of a woman’s brain is larger than in a man’s brain. This means there are many more connections in the brain related to emotions.

Because of this difference in brain structure, women are “wired” to be more aware of emotions and more skilled at navigating emotional connections with others. However, this also appears to increase their vulnerability to some mental illnesses such as depression. It is possible that this is due to women reporting depression more frequently than men do.

Men typically keep depression to themselves, seeing it as their role to be self-reliant and not ask for help. They often turn to alcohol and drugs, being a workaholic, or becoming overabsorbed in a hobby or sport activity. If depressed men do report symptoms, it is more likely to be physical and perhaps not diagnosed as depression for quite a while.

Greater emotional connectivity means that women usually become addicted to drugs or alcohol through an emotional pathway. Women also have more successful recoveries when they acknowledge and address the emotional pain that lead them to their addiction.

Women and Dual Diagnosis Drug Rehab

When a dual diagnosis woman decides it is time for drug rehab, she needs to feel reassured that her distinctly feminine needs will be fully met. Many treatment programs are based on the needs of men and do little to understand the unique perspectives and emotional issues.

The Canyon has master’s-level professionals, ready to treat each individual woman who comes for help. The holistic treatment approach of The Canyon is wonderful and comprehensive for anyone needing treatment. It particularly speaks to the needs of women by providing an open and accepting environment, conducive to building and restoring emotional health. If you or a woman you care for needs drug rehab, don’t hesitate to contact The Canyon get addiction help now.

We’ve talked a lot here recently about alcoholism and, specifically, women and alcoholism and it seems that others, researchers in particular, are thinking about one of the biggest health questions that comes up for women who drink: pregnancy. How much alcohol is too much when you’re going to have a baby? And when is alcohol rehab a necessity?

What The Experts Have to Say About Alcohol and Pregnancy

According to The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia released new alcohol guidelines for pregnant women, stating that ‘no drinking is the safest option.’

Without the facts, however, some women are taking risks that they don’t even realize when they take a drink. To remedy the situation, The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and Children’s Health have issued an update on the advice originally published in 2003 that medical practitioners should pass along to pregnant women. Here’s what they say:

* Pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant should avoid drinking alcohol in the first 3 months of pregnancy, because there may be an increased risk of miscarriage.

* Women should not get drunk or binge drink (drinking more than 7.5 UK units of alcohol on a single occasion) while they are pregnant because this can harm their unborn baby.

* All women should be informed about the importance for their own and their baby’s health and of maintaining adequate vitamin D stores during pregnancy and breast feeding. 10mcg per day is recommended.

What To Do if Someone You Love is Pregnant and Drinking

We know that drinking alcohol when you’re pregnant increases the risk of having a miscarriage or stillborn child, restricts the rate of growth in the fetus which ultimately means babies who are born early and with a low birth weight. Worst of all is the possibility of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) which can mean birth defects, and problems that range in severity that affect behavior, mental development and psychological development. To me, this seems like enough to deter the moderate or casual drinker from drinking at all during pregnancy. But for some reason, many women still don’t know the risk they’re taking when they take a drink during pregnancy.

If you know someone who is pregnant and drinking, share these guidelines with them. If they can’t quit drinkng on their own, then alcohol rehab is not only a medical necessity, it is an immediate one. Don’t wait. Contact The Canyon immediately.
For more information about this study and how alcohol affects women who are pregnant, check out Medical News Today.

Erika recently posted some great insight into Women, Depression and Alcoholism and I wanted to follow her lead with an emphatic verification: alcoholism is considered a male disease no longer. According to ScienceDaily, sadly, more and more women are alcoholics. Here’s what they have to say:

An Expert Opinion on Women and Alcoholism

According to the latest research, “A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women. Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women — beginning with those born in the United States after World War II.”

Richard A. Grucza is an epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine and the corresponding author of one of the latest studies. He says:

“By looking at two different cross-sectional surveys that asked the same questions in the same manner, but were conducted 10 years apart, we were able to compare, for example, 30 – 40 year olds in 2001 with 30 – 40 year olds in 1991. Essentially, this allowed us to correct for the effects of age on reporting. When we did this, we found that the tendency for young people to have higher levels of lifetime alcohol dependence clearly remained for women, although it disappeared for men.”

Why are the Number of Female Alcoholics on the Rise?

It could be a number of things. One of which is the fact that epidemiological studies aren’t foolproof. Even today, admitting that you have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol isn’t the easiest thing in the world, especially for women, the gender upon which the entire world is dependent. Few women want to admit that they have a problem and embrace the ensuing stigma that may befall them as a result. So the numbers could be reflective of the fact that more and more women are more comfortable admitting that they have a problem with alcohol and need help.

Or it could be that the number of women drinking in excess is legitimately on the rise. The stress placed on women to care for their family and provide for them financially, create a name for themselves in the business world and still be available to their children, spouses and elderly family members emotionally may be taking its toll.

Another Expert Opinion on Women and Alcoholism

Shelly F. Greenfield is the associate clinical director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Program at McLean Hospital. She says, “One possible explanation is that between 1934 and 1964, the social acceptability of women’s drinking increased. As it was more socially acceptable for women to drink, a greater number of them became drinkers. Because women have a heightened vulnerability to the effects of alcohol — that is, greater blood alcohol levels at similar ‘doses’ of alcohol — we may therefore see a concomitant rise in alcohol dependence among those who ever drank.”

What’s Your Opinion?

What do you think? Are the numbers of female alcoholics truly on the rise or are the numbers somewhat skewed due to public perception and stigma?

The rate for depression in the United States is 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men. It’s no wonder depression is called the “common cold” of the mental health world. By no means is depression a casual ailment like a cold. However, it’s frequency makes it a steadfast problem in our society. Alcohol often enters the picture, which unfortunately creates another set of problems for women. Effective dual diagnosis treatment is often the only answer. Take a minute to learn about important facts about women, alcoholism, and depression.

Problems With Depression and Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant to the nervous system and the brain because of its dulling effects. The body is already slowed and stressed during depression. Drinking alcohol only worsens this condition, causing you to feel even more miserable than before the person started drinking. It may seem to take away the sharpness of the emotional pain for a while, but it really creates an even bigger problem in the end.

Alcoholism Develops in Women Differently Than in Men

Current research suggests that alcohol problems can more commonly show up later in life for women than for men. The stigma against being alcoholic may prevent many women from seeking treatment, especially after they may have already lived many years with a certain reputation.

Depression and heavy drinking are strongly connected with women, with isolation being a major factor. Depression tends to become established for women before they develop alcoholism. This pattern has big implications for alcohol addiction prevention for women. Treat depression more effectively across the female population, and there may also be a reduction in alcohol addiction.

Women Have a Greater Risk Than Men for Depression In Their Lifetime

Many factors make women more vulnerable to depression than men. These aren’t intended to show sexism or negative stereotyping, simply research-based information that has been collected about women with depression. Reproductive hormones can play a big part in the emotional stability across a woman’s lifespan. As compared to men, women’s brains are “wired” in such as way that emotions take a larger role in their perspective of the world.

Women tend to be more focused on doing for others and neglecting themselves, seeking approval, and covering up inadequacies in order to stay “in control”. Women are also more likely to run problems over and over in their minds, perpetuating circles of negativity. All of these vulnerabilities make it clear how women are at a higher risk for depression over their lifespan than men.

Alcohol Affects Women Differently

Research has shown several ways that alcohol affects women differently than men. Medications such as birth control slow down the process of eliminating alcohol from the body. Also, it is widely known among researchers that it takes smaller amounts of alcohol to affect women in the same way as men.

This means that a woman could do more damage to her body, get more intoxicated, increase her tolerance, and possibly develop an addiction in less time than a man drinking the same amounts. This effect is from larger amounts of fat in women’s bodies, women’s relatively smaller body size, and women having smaller amounts of an important enzyme that breaks down alcohol.

Effective Dual Diagnosis Rehab for Women

Dual diagnosis treatment gives a woman with depression and alcoholism the best chance at recovery. The holistic alcohol rehab approach at The Canyon provides an ideal environment for healing. The experts at the Canyon provide alcohol detox, a high level of specialized dual diagnosis treatment, and sober living options in California.

Traditionally, there have been more men than women entering alcohol rehab in the United States. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least of which is the stigma associated with alcoholism and drug rehab of any kind in certain circles.

According to a study in Medical News Today, the number of women in alcohol rehab is rising and quickly catching up with the number of men seeking treatment for alcoholism. They say:

* “A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women.”

* “Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women – beginning with those born in the United States after World War II.”

Some of the findings of the study were kind of interesting and disturbing at the same time. Like, for example, younger people were reporting that they had intense problems with alcohol over their lifetime more often than did older people, even though, technically, they’ve had less time to develop such problems. Then again, the intensity of experience is somewhat more life altering when you’re younger as time hasn’t been given a chance to dull the experience or level it out by comparison to other experiences.

Women, Age and the Need for Alcohol Rehab

Richard A. Grucza is an epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine and the study’s corresponding author. He says:

“By looking at two different cross-sectional surveys that asked the same questions in the same manner, but were conducted 10 years apart, we were able to compare, for example, 30 to 40 year olds in 2001 with 30 to 40 year olds in 1991. Essentially, this allowed us to correct for the effects of age on reporting. When we did this, we found that the tendency for young people to have higher levels of lifetime alcohol dependence clearly remained for women, although it disappeared for men.”

Young women, older women… the results are the same. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you are just as likely to have a problem with alcohol that requires treatment as a man.

Why Are Women Needing Alcohol Rehab in Increasing Numbers?

Well, in my opinion, it’s not necessarily that more women need alcohol rehab but that maybe more women are coming forward and seeking treatment. Too many women have responsibilities to children and elders, whole families depending on them to be present every day and not. Alcohol treatment may not have seemed like an option but more like a luxury. As people become more educated and realize that, if you’re an alcoholic, alcohol rehab is a necessity and not something to deny yourself for any reason. Women are taking this to heart.

Shelly F. Greenfield is the associate clinical director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Program at McLean Hospital. She says:

“One possible explanation is that between 1934 and 1964, the social acceptability of women’s drinking increased. As it was more socially acceptable for women to drink, a greater number of them became drinkers. Because women have a heightened vulnerability to the effects of alcohol – that is, greater blood alcohol levels at similar ‘doses’ of alcohol – we may therefore see a concomitant rise in alcohol dependence among those who ever drank.”

Grucza had an interesting take on the phenomenon as well:

“Clearly there were many changes in the cultural environment for women born in the 40s, 50s and 60s compared to women born earlier. Women entered the work force, were more likely to go to college, were less hampered by gender stereotypes, and had more purchasing power. They were freer to engage in a range of behaviors that were culturally or practically off-limits, and these behaviors probably would have included excessive drinking and alcohol problems.

If A Woman You Love Needs Alcohol Rehab…

Help is available. The Canyon provides a retreat-like atmosphere in Malibu, California, that provides the healing and care that is required for women to truly be able to relax and focus on themselves. Give us a call to find out more about what we have to offer women who need alcohol treatment.

For more information on this study and others, take a look at Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.