What is Substance Abuse?

It is the excessive use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, painkillers, or illicit narcotics. It might cause injury to one’s body, relationships, or emotions.

What leads Women to Substance Abuse

Depression and mental illness
History of trauma
Stress and inability to cope
Low self esteem
Body image issues

Alternatives to Substance Abuse

Reduce stress – If you’re involved in an ongoing traumatic situation, get out as soon as you can. You cannot begin to heal from the trauma until it stops. Find a way to stop it so you can focus on healing.

Eliminate access – Drug use includes access heavily. A substance that you do not consume cannot cause addiction. When using prescription medications, only follow your doctor’s instructions and question their need. Remove any surplus tablets as soon as possible so that they are no longer available to you or others in the future.

Call a friend -Talking about your emotional pain can frequently be therapeutic. Talk about your emotions with a family member or trustworthy friend. Develop relationships with other trauma survivors, whether they were affected by the same incident you saw or by others. Processing your emotions will prevent them from getting worse by talking about them

Join a group – There are support groups for everything, and they really help. Find a group of like-minded people, whether you’re suffering from chronic pain or recovering from an accident or violent act. Listening to how other people handle similar situations, and sharing your thoughts with them, will help reduce your anxiety and depression. Human connection is important for mental health

See a counselor – Although serious, mental illness is curable. You can learn to minimize your symptoms and live a happy, healthy life with the correct professional help. Look for a therapist that specializes in women’s mental health issues or trauma recovery. They can aid you in comprehending the causes of your ailment. With the proper treatment, the condition can be totally cured in many situations.

Most people believe that addiction or drug dependency is a male phenomenon and females are less involved in these issues. Addiction, poverty, and family breakdown are among the most important social determinants of health that need more attention, especially in this specific group “substance dependent women.”

Addiction is rarely a one-dimensional problem for women. Addiction frequently does not happen by itself. Instead, addiction has physiological components, effects from one’s past, and influences from social, economic, and cultural reasons. We must comprehend addiction as a complex and linked disease in order to comprehend it in the lives of women.

Emmanuella Abasiekong