| Historically, women's unique considerations in their use | | | | and creatively. Where men need permission to stop |
| of alcohol and needs in treatment have been ignored | | | | running, women need encouragement to learn to quit |
| or neglected. Most treatment programs, even those | | | | waiting for solutions and resolutions to appear at their |
| supposedly addressing the 'special needs of women,' | | | | doors. |
| continue to use a 12-step model appropriate for only a | | | | Traditional treatment programs start with a gender |
| small minority of men, and very few women. | | | | bias that is counterproductive for intelligent women. |
| Additionally, because facilities are generally opened and | | | | Few counselors recognize, for example, that groups of |
| staffed by men, the philosophy and approaches | | | | women will tend to "process" forever and implement |
| remain male dominated. | | | | never, the format of endless recovery meetings, and |
| There are, however, significant differences that cannot | | | | exactly what many women drink to get away from. |
| be ignored under the mistaken belief that alcohol is a | | | | But that's the model that gets crammed down a |
| gender neutral disease subject to only one cure - one | | | | woman's throat as "the way." |
| that doesn't even work well for men, much less | | | | Programs dedicated to helping women find personal |
| women. | | | | solutions to the particular situations in which they find |
| Differences between women and men begin with the | | | | themselves, rather than promoting ineffective and |
| first drink. At the most basic level, men and women | | | | inappropriate programs, are rare. Look for them in |
| differ physiologically in alcohol absorption, processing, | | | | alternative listings and away from AA, 12 Step, and |
| and retention. Put simply, women are more susceptible | | | | other traditional catchwords. |
| to alcohol. They are not, however, more apt to | | | | Changing alcohol-fueled behaviors is about changing |
| become alcohol abusers, dependents, or addicts. When | | | | the way a woman manages her life. For many |
| they do the reasons are different and so are the | | | | women, more processing, contemplation, and delayed |
| cures. | | | | action are exactly what they don't need. Look for |
| Once again, differences matter. Most men tend to | | | | therapists who use anti-craving medications to reduce |
| drink actively, semi-socially, and to avoid problems. | | | | alcohol involvement, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
| Women are more inclined to reclusive drinking and | | | | to promote action based life changes. Avoid those |
| excessive dwelling on difficulties, hurts, slights, and | | | | who wish to dig through the past, once again exploiting |
| anger. Programs like AA work to get men to slow | | | | women's tendency to "process" to no avail and at |
| down and process more and act out less. That's good | | | | considerable expense. |
| for some male alcoholics. It's exactly the opposite of | | | | One old slogan suggests that whatever the problem, |
| what most women drinkers need. | | | | "living well is the best revenge." For women it could be |
| Women are better served by replacing endless | | | | added that living well is living actively and purposefully. |
| contemplation with self-enhancing activities that also | | | | That, in and of itself, will go a long way towards fixing |
| reduce isolation, without fixating on alcohol. Underlying | | | | alcohol related problems. |
| anger and loneliness need to be addressed actively | | | | |