why do women physicians promote drug addiction treatment to women in chronic pain more than men

Among the many factors, one is that women are more likely than men to have chronic pain, which sometimes enables them to get certain prescription drugs. Additionally, women tend to transition faster from substance use or misuse to full-on addiction.

Full Answer

Are women more likely to be addicted to painkillers?

The American Society of Addiction Medicine reported that women are "more likely to have chronic pain, be prescribed prescription pain relievers, be given higher doses and use them for longer time periods than men." ASAM also adds that: "Women may become dependent on prescription pain relievers more quickly than men."

Why Choose Women’s addiction treatment?

We understand the unique pressures women face in life, and we offer individualized treatment programs to help them develop and enjoy a lasting recovery from addiction. Our compassionate, holistic approach to recovery addresses all aspects of life and health to be sure we’re treating the whole person — not just a disease.

Why do women suffer more chronic pain than men?

Women with chronic pain may suffer more and longer than men. One of the few studies to research gender differences in the experience of pain found that women tend to feel it more of the time and more intensely than men. While the exact reasons for this discrepancy haven’t been pinpointed yet, biology and hormones are suspected to play a role.

Are men more prone to substance abuse than women?

There are several studies that indicate men fall prey to substance abuse at higher rates than women. Research at Columbia and Yale found that a bigger surge of dopamine in men who drink makes them almost twice as likely to develop alcoholism as women who drink.

What are some reasons that women experience a greater prevalence of chronic pain than men?

"Women have both higher levels and fluctuations in circulating estrogens and progesterone, and those may contribute to experiencing higher levels of pain," Fillingim says, "whereas men have higher levels of testosterone," which in some studies has been shown to be protective against pain or associated with lower pain ...

Is chronic pain more common in males or females?

Chronic pain affects a higher proportion of women than men around the world; however women are less likely to receive treatment. Research has shown that women generally experience more recurrent pain, more severe pain and longer lasting pain than men.

Do gender and race affect decisions about pain management?

No overall differences with respect to patient gender or race were found in decisions to treat or in the maximum permitted doses.

How does gender affect the perception of pain?

There is much evidence to suggest that gender is an important factor in the modulation of pain. Literature data strongly suggest that men and women differ in their responses to pain: they are more variable in women than men, with increased pain sensitivity and many more painful diseases commonly reported among women.

Does gender play a role in pain perception or thresholds?

Most studies indicated that gender was a contributing factor to the differences observed in pain perception, despite the different stimuli applied. In general, the results showed an association between a higher degree of femininity and a greater perception of painful stimuli, regardless of gender.

Overview

While women are as likely to stay and engage in treatment as men, substance abuse counselors need to attend to individual, counselor, and environmental variables to secure the best retention rates based on level of care and presenting problems.

Treatment Retention

The many factors that influence clients to enter treatment are often the same ones that keep them in treatment. Treatment retention refers to the quantity or amount of treatment received by a client.

Addressing Tobacco Use With Women in Treatment

Cigarette smoking is a major cause of lung cancer among women. Approximately 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths are attributable to smoking. Since 1950, lung cancer mortality rates for American women have increased an estimated 600 percent.

How many times more likely are women to be misdiagnosed than men?

For instance, a 2000 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that women are seven times more likely than men to be misdiagnosed and discharged in the middle of having a heart attack.

Is the CDC relaxed?

The CDC has relaxed some prevention measures, particularly for people who are fully vaccinated, and especially outdoors. Meanwhile, scientists continue to explore treatments and to keep an eye on viral variants. Stay Informed. View Coronavirus COVID-19 Resource Center.

Does arthritis cream make it easier to move?

The arthritis cream made it easier with the stiffness and the pain when I had the worst conditions. The swelling and the movement were still bad though and sometimes that made it hard to do the easiest of tasks around the house. The thing I noticed at first and the early signs were pain and the swelling.

Is chronic pain a definable condition?

October 13, 2017. Many women with chronic pain do not have “clearly definable conditions” yet still suffer immeasurably. Lest not ignore them in favor of only women who are “lucky” enough to have diagnoses.

Why do women become addicted to drugs?

According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overmedication has been the primary reason for addiction in females. The study blames doctors, the media and women themselves for the overabundance of chemical intervention.

Why are women more sensitive to drugs?

Women can be more sensitive to the effects of certain drugs because of sex hormones. Women who use drugs experience different changes in their brains than men do. A woman’s menstrual cycle could affect her withdrawal symptoms and likelihood of relapse in addiction recovery.

Why do women need to be alone?

Loneliness — Women need social and emotional connections with other people to feel happy and fulfilled in their lives. Being alone or, worse, being in a crowd but feeling disconnected from everyone, is a sensation that can lead a woman to use drugs or to relapse in addiction recovery.

How many women used illicit drugs in 2013?

At least 15.8 million women used illicit drugs in 2013. That means 12.9% of all women tried an illegal drug at least once, or used prescription drugs improperly for recreational purposes, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Until recently, gender differences in substance abuse habits were ...

What was the name of the drug that women used in the 1960s?

In addition, amphetamines were used as stimulants and diet aids, and valium was referred to as “mommy’s little helper.”. By the end of the 1960s, two-thirds of all prescription drug users taking psychoactive substances were women, up from 27% at the beginning of the decade.

What is the main factor in drug use?

Addiction has to begin with drug use, and the main factor in drug use is access . No one becomes addicted to a drug before they start using that drug. The drugs that people choose to use, either for medicinal or recreational purposes, have to be accessible to them.

Why do women feel tired?

Fatigue — All that stress makes women feel tired. Instead of resting, we often do not give ourselves permission to take a break. This is a moment when the urge to use drugs could become strong. Hunger — Women tend to be more affected by public opinion than men, and they also diet more often.

Why are women more prone to drug abuse?

The following five reasons women are more prone to drug abuse are a good indication that the debate over addiction's discrimination between the genders is by no means resolved. Higher rates of mental disorders in women. One in 3 Americans suffers from a mental illness – but women suffer from disorders like depression and anxiety at significantly ...

How much did overdoses in women increase in 2010?

Nationally, a similar trend holds true: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between the years 1999 and 2010, prescription drug-related overdoses among women skyrocketed by 400 percent, compared to an increase of 265 percent in men.

Why are women more likely to experience gender discrimination?

Women are also more likely to experience gender discrimination, which is linked to higher stress levels, and stress is also a significant predictor of substance abuse. [See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can't Ignore .] Higher levels of pain than men. Women report higher levels of pain than men, and higher levels ...

How much more likely are women to have depression than men?

Research at Oxford found women are approximately 75 percent more likely than men to report a recent episode of depression and 60 percent more likely to report an anxiety disorder. The same study concluded that cumulatively, women are up to 40 percent more likely than men to develop a mental health condition. Such findings are relevant ...

Do women have higher pain levels than men?

Higher levels of pain than men. Women report higher levels of pain than men, and higher levels of pain accord with greater susceptibility to opiate and prescription drug abuse in an addiction epidemic that is the worst yet on record.

Do men fall prey to substance abuse?

There are several studies that indicate men fall prey to substance abuse at higher rates than women. Research at Columbia and Yale found that a bigger surge of dopamine in men who drink makes them almost twice as likely to develop alcoholism as women who drink.

Is marijuana a gateway drug?

Marijuana is already one of three leading "gateway drugs" known to open the door to other forms of drug use. Moreover, a continuing deregulation trend will only increase women's exposure to the drug's negative effects, leaving them at greater risk of drug addiction than men who experiment with pot. More incidents of trauma, discrimination ...

Can you get pregnant from being addicted to drugs?

Many women who are addicted to drugs become pregnant. This is much more common than you think. While women know that abusing drugs is dangerous for their unborn baby, they simply can’t stop themselves from getting high. The obsession and compulsion to use drugs is just too strong to overcome without help.

Can women use drugs?

This can lead to drug use in women who self-medicate to find relief from their uncomfortable symptoms. People with mental health disorders are more likely to use drugs than people without mental health disorders.

Sex and Gender Differences in Substance Use

Substance Use While Pregnant and Breastfeeding

Sex and Gender Differences in Substance Use Disorder Treatment

• It is important to note that treatment for substance use disorders in women may progress differently than for men. Women report using some substances for a shorter period of time when they enter treatment. However, women's substance use tends to progress more quickly from first use to addiction. Withdrawal may also be more intense for women. In som...

See more on nida.nih.gov

The Importance of Including Women in Research

Learn More

References