Men and Women Respond to Addiction Very Differently - Here's Why

People fall into the trap of addiction because of various circumstances which can be very different from one person to another. Alongside this, even the effects of addiction greatly vary between individuals, particularly between men and women. Over a recent couple of years, more and more studies have included the causes and effects of addiction for women and not surprisingly, the results showed that men and women respond to addiction very differently. 

Certain substances are metabolized more slowly in women compared to men. This means that the substance tends to stay longer in a woman’s system compared to a man’s body. Some substances have a significant effect on one sex but don’t have any notable effects on the other. Additionally, women’s bodies also process substances differently compared to men. For this reason, even if women are less likely to develop substance abuse, they tend to experience more severe effects when they do.

Stimulants, such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and other prescription medications, are drugs that pump up one’s alertness and energy. Studies show that there is no remarkable difference in the effects of stimulants between men and women. However, women may be more prone to stimulant addiction because of their hormonal structure, with estrogen believed to enhance the effects of stimulants.

Even if the use of cannabis is already legal in certain states, this drug is still prone to substance abuse. Women who experience the psychoactive effects of cannabis are known to internalize their emotions, which can lead to women hurting themselves. On the contrary, men who are high because or marijuana use tend to have externalizing disorders, directing their emotions inappropriately towards the environment around them. Women are also known to have a greater chance of developing marijuana addiction because their hormones worsen the effects of withdrawal symptoms.

Like with substances, alcohol is also metabolized differently in men and women. This is because the alcohol is metabolized faster by bodies that hold more water. Generally, men weigh more than women, which means that they have more water per pound in their bodies. As a result, the metabolism of alcohol happens faster in a man’s body compared to a woman’s body. In this case, alcohol tends to stay longer in a woman’s body, causing numerous health issues such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, immune system suppression, as well as liver disease. However, this cannot be attributed to gender alone because there are women who also weigh more than men.

Perhaps the only critical difference in the addiction treatment between men and women is how they begin it in the first place. For instance, men are most likely referred to a treatment facility through the criminal justice system, while a woman is usually referred to a women's treatment center through a community agency. Nonetheless, as soon as they enter the facility and begin treatment, their response no longer depends on their gender, but rather on several other factors such as financial resources, mental health issues, as well as addiction severity.

Apart from more women seeking treatment voluntarily, another notable difference is what statistics show that women who complete treatment are also more likely to be abstinent compared to men who are more prone to relapse. But more than gender, the people who respond well to treatment are most likely those who have better psychological health, higher personal stability, as well as adequate social support.

It still holds that there is still a general stigma against those who struggle with addiction, regardless of their gender, but it can be noted that women tend to experience greater guilt and shame than men do.

Men are more likely to respond to an aggressive push to change behavior such as tough love. However, women tend to respond better with an approach that is based on trust and understanding. This can be attributed to the fact that generally, women have lower self-esteem than most men possess. Thus, an aggressive push may only traumatize women further.

It is important to address the root cause that pushed a person into his or her addiction. This is essential to ensure that the relapse of a recovering person is mitigated. On the other hand, it is also important to treat the addiction of a person, not only based on his gender but based on his or her specific needs, because only then will the treatment prove to be effective. Nevertheless, the most important thing is not giving up on people suffering from addiction and offering all the support that you can give to help them get their lives back on track.