Women in intimate relationships and addiction relapse

Women are gentle and very emotional. Especially when it comes to their intimate relationships, they tend to be all the more sensitive and reactive. Off late, there has been a trend of escalating number of women addicts who are the victims of  their own intimacy choices.

Though addiction in anyone is a concern, addiction in women is a bigger concern because gender may affect susceptibility, recovery, and risk of relapse. Studies have it that addiction among women had increased from 12% in 1970s to almost 20% of them recently. The social acceptance of women for drinking/drugging is ringing danger bells as women develop alcohol dependence more quickly than men do. Also, alcohol-related problems such as brain atrophy or liver damage occur more rapidly in women than in men.

Relapse in women

Sexual and/or romantic endeavours are the pain points of many women who relapse after sobriety. A large percentage of the women who struggle to remain sober eventually return to addiction due to sexual stressors. An interesting study about addicted women suggests that many of them endured a difficult childhood. Now one could ask that if the trauma was in her past, and she already got cleaned, what brings her back to the addiction mode? The answer is simple. The trauma is in her present too. In the form of memories and PTSD.

Link between relapse and Intimacy disorders in women

Women who are sexually abused in their childhood are more prone to addiction as compared to women who are not. Nevertheless, their acknowledgement of addiction, completion of substance use treatment doesn’t come of use when they re-enter their world filled with shaky confidence and hopelessness. The childhood trauma continues to haunt them as they unconsciously date and partner similar kind of males who abused them in the past.

Common reasons why female addicts relapse includes

• A history of sexual relationships where alcohol/drugs and sex have been the primary bond and still continue to be.
• Isolation from other women because of addiction.
• Being in close relationship with people who drink or do drugs often (spouses/partners, boyfriends/girlfriends, regular sexual hook-ups, etc..).
• Making relationships a greater priority than sobriety even after realising they are going relapse. (including meaningful and supportive friendships with sober women).
• Drinking to please an addicted partner.
• A lack of guidance and insight related to the adult manifestations of early emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse.
• Using alcohol or drugs to tolerate neglectful and/or abusive relationships
• Lack of guidance in choosing the ideal sexual partners even after treatment. 

Even though women realise that they are in a same kind of problematic relation yet again, they write it off as something that can be handled later on. These women are often ill-prepared for the real-world sobriety. Precisely, their shame and secrets regarding their past and present sexual and relationship-oriented behaviours are left unaddressed. Also, they lack an education about how they need to handle/tolerate/manage sex and intimate relationships in sobriety without relapsing.

These constantly failing intimate relationships are the reason why most recovered women relapse and get back to the mode of addiction. 

The Right Treatment

Treating the addict’s issues without also addressing her adult sexual and romantic behaviours often leaves her vulnerable to relapse. In other words, the client may not heal to the core if the substance abuse issues and intimacy issues are not addressed simultaneously. There are a few finest rehabs that are equipped with the best professionals and designed with optimal necessities that help cure females with both substance and intimacy issues. These rehabs make sure the clients are cured fully before sending them back to the real world. 

So, we can say help is in fact a click away.