BY NYASHA DUBE- The issue of substance use, abuse and dependence amongst women is rarely talked about, becàuse of the belief that is is men only who use drugs. But it is becoming a common challenge for women as well, as such this article sheds more light on the causes and side effects of drug abuse by women.
Oftenly more men than women tend to abuse drugs, but the impact of substance use by women cannot go unnoticed. This is because women are rarely included in such clinical researches. This has resulted in the issue of drug abuse by women being underreported. However, reality is that drug and substance abuse by women is becoming an increasingly worrying trend.
Substance use, abuse and dependence has long been a problem worldwide. The most commonly abused substances include tobacco, cocaine, marijuana, alcohol, nicotine among others.
Women often resort to drug and substance abuse as coping mechanisms due to various reasons such as:
-Dealing with mental disorders
-Coping with physical pain
-Trying to distract themselves from effects of domestic violence
-Escaping from exhaustion
-Dealing with divorce, breakups
-Death of a child or partner
Women by nature are sensitive beings. Most struggle to cope with realities facing then in their daily lives. This is because their feminine hormones and this makes them easily try to find escapism by resorting to drugs. Although women take less doses of whatever drug or substance they might be using, it takes a shorter time for them to become addicts compared to their male counterparts. They also tend to have more cravings and are most likely to relapse after treatment.
The side effects of drug and substance use by women include panic attacks, anxiety, depression and many other related mental disorders. For pregnant women, the effects include miscarrying or still birth. There’s also a thin line between drug abuse and violence, a case where women who use, abuse or depend on drugs tend to end up being victims or perpetrators of domestic violence, thereby causing a rift in their families. There is need to talk more about the issue of drug and substance use by women so that those who have fallen victim of addiction can open up and get all the assistance they need.