Is Opioid Abuse Among Women Worse than Men?
Is Opioid Abuse Among Women Worse than Men?
Opioid abuse among women seems to be occurring more with more opioid overdoses being reported in women than men. Reports show that opioid abuse among women occurs more in rural areas of the United States in middle-class citizens.
Are women more susceptible to opioid abuse and addiction than men? Many statistics show that they are. One of the main reasons for this is simply that women go to the doctor more than men. If women are in pain, they will see a physician much quicker than a man usually will.
When a person takes opiate or opioid drugs, they not only get pain relief. They also have a feeling of euphoria, peace, and well-being. It’s easy to understand how some individuals may enjoy the effects of these drugs. They want to continue taking them even when they have no pain remaining. Men may turn to heroin to get this euphoric high. Women, on the other hand, go to a doctor to get a prescription for their drug of choice.
Opioid Abuse Among Women Who also Have Mental Health Issues
As women continue abusing opioids, they feel that they cannot function on a daily basis without them. Further abuse leads them to build up a tolerance to the drug. Increased tolerance means that they need more of it to get the same effects as they originally did.
The journal, Substance Use and Misuse states that many of the women who develop an addiction to opiates or opioids also struggle with mental health issues. They might start self-medicating with drugs to alleviate feelings of depression or anxiety.
Mental health issues could be responsible for such a great amount of opioid abuse among women. They may have begun using opioid painkillers for pain relief and upon realizing the euphoric and peaceful effects, continued the use of the drug until they had developed a physical dependence.
If a woman has past traumatic experiences, she may realize that the opioids erase these thoughts from her mind while she is taking them. It’s almost understandable why opioid abuse among women is so commonly being used for self-medicating.
Impact of Opioid Abuse Among Women Greater than Men
Women can become dependent on smaller amounts of drugs than men and at a much faster pace than men. Women also suffer more emotional and physical consequences of drug abuse than men. Whatever the reason for this abuse being higher in women, it in no way means that men do not have issues with opioid abuse.
Men might turn to heroin for their euphoria and feelings of well-being quicker than women. No matter if the statistics show opioid abuse among women to be greater than men, it is easy to see that we have an opioid epidemic in the United States which is taking way too many lives.
Get Help for Opioid Abuse or Addiction
If you are abusing opioid drugs, don’t wait until it is too late and you become a fatal drug overdose statistic, get the help and support that you need today. By entering into an inpatient addiction treatment facility, you will be given the professional addiction treatment that you need and deserve.
You will be detoxed from the drug or drugs under the supervision of medical professionals in a safe and comfortable environment. Once you have the toxins from the substances removed from your system, you will be assigned a counselor and have a treatment program designed for your individual needs and preferences.
You can put opioid abuse or addiction behind you and go on to live a life of sobriety, productivity, and healthfulness. Do it today. Call to learn more about the treatment programs provided at A Forever Recovery.
