Women’s Addiction Treatment: Understanding Gender-Specific Needs and Finding Female Rehab in Charlotte, NC
Women face unique challenges in addiction and recovery that require specialized, gender-specific treatment approaches. From higher rates of trauma and co-occurring mental health disorders to pregnancy concerns and parenting responsibilities, women’s paths to addiction and recovery differ significantly from men’s—yet for decades, addiction treatment was designed primarily for male patients, leaving women’s specific needs unaddressed.
At Nova Transformations in Charlotte, we recognize that effective addiction treatment for women must address the whole person within the context of their unique life circumstances. Women are more likely to have experienced trauma, face greater stigma around addiction, struggle with co-occurring eating disorders and depression, and carry primary responsibility for childcare—all factors that profoundly impact both the development of addiction and the path to recovery.
This comprehensive guide explores why women need specialized addiction treatment, the biological and psychological differences in how women experience addiction, the critical role of trauma-informed care, co-occurring disorders common in women, pregnancy and postpartum considerations, parenting and childcare barriers, domestic violence connections, and specialized women’s treatment programs available right here in Charlotte, NC.
Of women in addiction treatment have experienced trauma, compared to 50-60% of men (SAMHSA)
Why Women Need Gender-Specific Addiction Treatment
Decades of research have demonstrated that women’s experiences with addiction differ from men’s in fundamental ways requiring specialized treatment approaches.
Biological Differences
How Women Metabolize Substances Differently:
- Lower body water content: Women have less water to dilute alcohol, leading to higher blood alcohol levels from same amount consumed
- Hormonal influences: Estrogen affects drug metabolism and craving intensity throughout menstrual cycle
- Faster progression to addiction: “Telescoping effect”—women develop addiction more quickly than men with less substance use
- Greater physical consequences: Women experience liver damage, heart disease, and other health effects more rapidly
- Different withdrawal experiences: Hormones affect withdrawal symptom severity
Psychological and Social Differences
| Factor | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Trauma History | 85-90% have trauma history; high rates of sexual abuse | 50-60% have trauma history |
| Co-occurring Disorders | Depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders more common | Antisocial personality disorder more common |
| Relationship Factors | Often use with intimate partner; may be introduced to drugs by partner | More likely to use with friends or alone |
| Reasons for Use | Self-medication for emotional pain, trauma, depression; weight control | Social/recreational use; sensation-seeking |
| Stigma | Greater societal judgment; seen as failing motherhood/femininity | Less social stigma |
| Barriers to Treatment | Childcare, fear of losing custody, lack of women-only programs | Employment concerns, legal issues |
| Pregnancy Considerations | Pregnancy and postpartum present unique treatment needs | Not applicable |
The Path to Addiction Differs
- Later initiation: Women often start using substances later than men
- Faster progression: But develop addiction more quickly once started
- Prescription drug gateway: Women more likely to develop addiction from prescribed medications (pain pills, benzodiazepines)
- Partner introduction: Many women are introduced to drugs by romantic partners
- Self-medication: Using substances to cope with trauma, depression, anxiety
- Weight control: Using stimulants (cocaine, meth) to manage weight
Women develop alcohol use disorder twice as fast as men despite drinking less (Telescoping Effect)
Trauma and Women’s Addiction
The connection between trauma and addiction is especially strong in women, with trauma often being the root cause of substance use.
Prevalence of Trauma in Women
Research consistently shows:
- 85-90% of women in addiction treatment have experienced trauma
- Sexual abuse: 55-99% report sexual abuse history (varies by study)
- Physical abuse: 40-90% report physical abuse
- Domestic violence: 40-60% have experienced intimate partner violence
- Childhood trauma: High rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Complex trauma: Multiple types of trauma across lifespan
Types of Trauma Common in Women
- Childhood sexual abuse: Perpetrated by family members, family friends, authority figures
- Adult sexual assault or rape
- Domestic violence and intimate partner abuse
- Physical abuse in childhood or adulthood
- Emotional and psychological abuse
- Neglect
- Witnessing violence
- Human trafficking
- Military sexual trauma (for female veterans)
How Trauma Leads to Addiction
- Self-medication: Using substances to numb emotional pain, manage PTSD symptoms, escape memories
- Coping mechanism: Substances provide temporary relief from trauma-related anxiety, depression, hypervigilance
- Dissociation: Substances facilitate emotional disconnection from painful experiences
- Sleep disturbances: Using substances to manage trauma-related insomnia and nightmares
- Altered brain chemistry: Trauma changes brain structure and function, increasing addiction vulnerability
Why Trauma-Informed Care is Essential
Trauma-informed care recognizes:
- The widespread impact of trauma in women with addiction
- That traditional addiction treatment can be re-traumatizing
- That healing trauma is essential for lasting recovery
- That safety—physical and emotional—is paramount
Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Care:
- Safety: Creating physically and emotionally safe treatment environment
- Trustworthiness and transparency: Clear expectations, no hidden agendas
- Peer support: Connection with other women in recovery
- Collaboration and mutuality: Shared decision-making, not hierarchical
- Empowerment, voice, and choice: Women have control in their treatment
- Cultural, historical, and gender issues: Recognizing intersection of identities
Trauma-Specific Therapies:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Processing traumatic memories
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy
- Somatic therapy: Body-based trauma healing
- Narrative therapy: Rewriting trauma stories
🚨 Re-Traumatization in Traditional Treatment
Traditional addiction treatment can accidentally re-traumatize women when it:
- Uses confrontational approaches that mirror past abuse
- Strips women of autonomy and choice
- Ignores trauma history and focuses only on substance use
- Uses punitive measures
- Doesn’t provide women-only spaces
- Employs predominantly male staff without trauma training
This is why trauma-informed, gender-specific treatment is essential for women’s recovery success.
Co-Occurring Disorders in Women
Women with substance use disorders have significantly higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions than men.
Common Co-Occurring Disorders
Depression:
- Women are 2-3 times more likely to have depression alongside addiction
- Often precedes substance use (self-medication)
- Hormonal factors play a role (postpartum depression, perimenopause)
- Requires integrated treatment addressing both conditions
Anxiety Disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety
- Women often use substances (alcohol, benzodiazepines) to manage anxiety
- Withdrawal from substances causes rebound anxiety creating cycle
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
- Extremely common in women with addiction due to high trauma rates
- Symptoms: flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance
- Substances used to manage PTSD symptoms
- Cannot successfully treat addiction without addressing PTSD
Eating Disorders:
- Strong connection between eating disorders and substance use in women
- Common combinations:
- Anorexia/bulimia + stimulant use (cocaine, meth) for appetite suppression
- Binge eating disorder + alcohol or marijuana
- “Drunkorexia”—restricting food to save calories for alcohol
- Both stem from issues with control, body image, trauma
- Require simultaneous specialized treatment
Bipolar Disorder:
- Higher rates in women with addiction
- Self-medication during depressive episodes
- Increased substance use during manic episodes
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD):
- More common in women than men
- Often develops from childhood trauma
- Characterized by emotional instability, relationship difficulties, impulsivity
- High rates of co-occurring substance use
Why Dual Diagnosis Treatment is Critical
- Integrated approach: Treating both conditions simultaneously, not sequentially
- Medication management: Appropriate psychiatric medications alongside addiction treatment
- Specialized therapy: Addressing underlying mental health while treating addiction
- Relapse prevention: Untreated mental health conditions lead to relapse
Learn more about our dual diagnosis treatment in Charlotte.
Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Parenting
Pregnancy and parenting create unique considerations for women in addiction treatment.
Substance Use During Pregnancy
Challenges:
- Fear and shame: Women afraid to seek help due to judgment and legal consequences
- Lack of resources: Limited treatment programs accepting pregnant women
- Medical complications: Risks to fetus from substance use and from withdrawal
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): Newborns experiencing withdrawal
Substances of Particular Concern in Pregnancy:
- Opioids: Risk of NAS, preterm birth, low birth weight
- Alcohol: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
- Methamphetamine: Growth restriction, premature birth
- Benzodiazepines: Birth defects, withdrawal in newborn
- Tobacco/nicotine: Low birth weight, SIDS risk
Treatment for Pregnant Women
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Methadone or buprenorphine for opioid addiction—safer than continued illicit use or withdrawal
- Prenatal care coordination: Integrated addiction and obstetric care
- Nutritional support
- Parenting education and preparation
- Non-judgmental, supportive environment
- Planning for delivery and postpartum care
Postpartum Period and Addiction
Postpartum presents unique vulnerabilities:
- Postpartum depression: Affecting 10-20% of mothers; higher in women with addiction history
- Sleep deprivation: Major relapse trigger
- Stress of new motherhood
- Hormonal changes
- Loss of identity/independence
- Relationship strain
Parenting and Childcare as Barriers
Women cite childcare as the #1 barrier to seeking addiction treatment:
- No childcare options: Can’t leave children to attend treatment
- Fear of losing custody: Child protective services involvement
- Guilt about being away from children
- Need for family-centered treatment
- Limited programs accepting children
Solutions Needed:
- Residential programs allowing mothers and children together
- Childcare services at outpatient facilities
- Parenting skills training integrated into treatment
- Family therapy including children
- Support for reunification with children in custody
💡 Motherhood as Motivation
Research shows children can be powerful motivation for women’s recovery:
- Desire to be present and healthy for children
- Wanting to break intergenerational cycles
- Regaining or maintaining custody
- Being a positive role model
Treatment that supports women’s roles as mothers—rather than shaming them—improves outcomes significantly.
Domestic Violence and Women’s Addiction
The connection between intimate partner violence and substance use in women is undeniable.
The Statistics
- 40-60% of women in addiction treatment have experienced domestic violence
- Bidirectional relationship: Substance use increases violence risk; violence increases substance use
- Women often use substances to cope with ongoing abuse
- Abusive partners may sabotage recovery attempts
- Leaving an abusive relationship is a major relapse risk
How Domestic Violence Leads to Addiction
- Trauma response: Abuse is traumatic; substances numb pain
- Coping mechanism: Managing fear, anxiety, depression from abuse
- Partner coercion: Abuser may force or pressure substance use
- Isolation: Abuse leads to social isolation; substances become companion
- Low self-worth: Abuse destroys self-esteem; substances provide escape
Treatment Considerations for Domestic Violence Survivors
- Safety planning: Addressing current danger
- Trauma-informed approach: Recognizing abuse as trauma
- Empowerment focus: Restoring autonomy and choice
- Legal advocacy: Protective orders, custody concerns
- Housing assistance: Safe housing away from abuser
- Women-only treatment spaces: Safety and solidarity
- Relationship counseling contraindicated: Couples therapy dangerous with active abuse
📍 Domestic Violence Resources in Charlotte, NC
- Safe Alliance (formerly Shelter for Battered Women): (980) 771-4673
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Mecklenburg County Domestic Violence Court
- Legal Aid of North Carolina: Free legal services
- Emergency shelters in Charlotte area
Barriers Women Face in Seeking Treatment
Despite higher treatment needs, women face more barriers to accessing addiction care than men.
Major Barriers
1. Childcare and Parenting Responsibilities:
- Primary caregivers for children
- No one to watch children during treatment
- Can’t afford childcare
- Programs don’t accept children
2. Fear of Losing Child Custody:
- CPS involvement is real concern
- Admitting addiction may trigger custody loss
- Prevents women from seeking help
3. Greater Stigma and Shame:
- Society judges women with addiction more harshly
- “Bad mother” label
- Failure of femininity, morality
- Self-stigma prevents help-seeking
4. Financial Barriers:
- Women earn less than men
- Less likely to have insurance
- May be financially dependent on partner
- Can’t afford treatment costs
5. Lack of Gender-Specific Programs:
- Most programs designed for men
- Women feel unsafe in mixed-gender settings
- Women-specific needs not addressed
6. Relationship Factors:
- Partner may use substances and oppose recovery
- Partner may sabotage treatment
- Fear of being alone
- Economic dependence on partner
7. Trauma and Safety Concerns:
- Fear of male staff/clients (for trauma survivors)
- Mixed-gender settings feel unsafe
- Lack of trauma-informed care
Overcoming Barriers
Effective women’s treatment programs address barriers through:
- Childcare services or children-inclusive programs
- Women-only treatment spaces
- Trauma-informed, non-judgmental approach
- Financial assistance and insurance navigation
- Flexible scheduling for working mothers
- Legal advocacy for custody issues
- Parenting support and education
Women’s Addiction Treatment at Nova Transformations
At Nova Transformations in Charlotte, NC, we provide comprehensive, gender-responsive addiction treatment that addresses women’s unique needs.
Our Gender-Specific Approach
1. Trauma-Informed Care
- Understanding that trauma underlies most women’s addiction
- Creating safe, supportive environment
- Evidence-based trauma therapies (EMDR, TF-CBT)
- Addressing sexual abuse, domestic violence, childhood trauma
- Female therapists available
2. Dual Diagnosis Treatment
Our dual diagnosis program treats co-occurring conditions including:
- Depression and anxiety
- PTSD
- Eating disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
3. Women-Focused Therapy Groups
- Women-only group therapy sessions
- Safe space to share experiences
- Topics specific to women’s recovery:
- Healing from sexual trauma
- Body image and self-esteem
- Relationships and boundaries
- Motherhood and recovery
- Domestic violence recovery
4. Pregnancy and Postpartum Support
- Prenatal care coordination
- Medication-assisted treatment safe for pregnancy
- Postpartum depression screening and treatment
- Parenting education
- Non-judgmental support
5. Parenting Support
- Parenting skills training
- Childcare resource referrals
- Family therapy including children when appropriate
- Support for custody/reunification issues
- Balancing recovery and motherhood
6. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
- Buprenorphine (Suboxone) for opioid addiction
- Naltrexone for alcohol and opioid use disorders
- Safe for pregnancy when indicated
- Psychiatric medications for co-occurring disorders
7. Intensive Programs
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP):
- 20-30 hours weekly
- Intensive support for women early in recovery
- Medical monitoring
- Daily therapy
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP):
- 9-12 hours weekly
- Flexible scheduling for working mothers
- Evening options available
- Continued intensive support
8. Holistic Approaches
- Yoga and mindfulness for trauma healing
- Nutrition counseling
- Exercise and wellness
- Art and expressive therapies
✨ Why Choose Nova Transformations for Women’s Treatment?
- Gender-responsive care: Understanding women’s unique needs
- Trauma-informed approach: Addressing trauma as root of addiction
- Women-focused groups: Safe spaces for healing
- Dual diagnosis expertise: Treating co-occurring disorders
- Pregnancy and parenting support: Meeting mothers where they are
- Compassionate, non-judgmental: No shame, only healing
- Female therapists available
- Evidence-based treatment
- Charlotte location: Convenient throughout Mecklenburg County
- Insurance accepted: Working with most major providers
Begin Your Journey to Recovery in Charlotte Today
You deserve specialized treatment that addresses your unique experiences as a woman. The compassionate, expert team at Nova Transformations in Charlotte provides gender-specific, trauma-informed care that honors your strength while supporting your healing.
We accept most major insurance plans. Unfortunately, we do not accept Medicare or Medicaid at this time.
Confidential assessment available. You are not alone. We’re here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Women’s Addiction Treatment
Women need specialized addiction treatment because their experiences with addiction differ significantly from men’s in multiple ways including biological differences where women metabolize substances differently, have different hormonal influences on cravings and withdrawal, develop addiction faster (telescoping effect), and experience greater physical health consequences more rapidly; trauma prevalence with up to 90% of women in treatment having experienced trauma compared to 50-60% of men, with very high rates of sexual abuse and domestic violence; co-occurring mental health disorders being more common including depression (2-3x higher), anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders; unique life circumstances including pregnancy and postpartum considerations, primary parenting responsibilities, childcare as major treatment barrier, and fear of losing child custody; greater societal stigma and shame with women with addiction judged more harshly as “bad mothers” failing femininity and morality; relationship dynamics where many women use substances with intimate partners, may be introduced to drugs by partners, and face partner sabotage of recovery; and different reasons for use with women more likely to self-medicate emotional pain, trauma, and mental health issues while men use more for social/recreational reasons. Gender-specific treatment creates safe environments addressing these unique needs through trauma-informed care, women-only groups, parenting support, and therapies specifically for women’s recovery challenges.
Trauma-informed care is a treatment approach recognizing the widespread impact of trauma—particularly in women with addiction—and integrating this understanding into all aspects of care. Since 85-90% of women in addiction treatment have experienced trauma (often sexual abuse, domestic violence, or childhood trauma), addressing trauma is essential for lasting recovery. Trauma-informed care creates physically and emotionally safe treatment environments, gives women choices and control in their treatment rather than authoritarian approaches that mirror past abuse, emphasizes collaboration and shared decision-making, validates women’s experiences without judgment, addresses trauma as root cause of addiction rather than just treating symptoms, and avoids practices that could re-traumatize. Key components include universal trauma screening, evidence-based trauma therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), trauma-focused CBT, and prolonged exposure therapy, teaching coping skills for trauma triggers, addressing body image and self-worth issues stemming from trauma, healing shame, having female therapists available, providing women-only treatment spaces where women feel safe, and empowering women in their recovery journey. This approach is critical since untreated trauma leads to relapse—women cannot sustain sobriety while carrying unhealed trauma.
Childcare is the #1 barrier women cite in seeking addiction treatment. While Nova Transformations’ outpatient programs don’t provide onsite childcare, we understand parenting responsibilities and work with women to address this barrier through flexible scheduling with evening and weekend options for working mothers, childcare resource referrals connecting you with Charlotte-area childcare services, parenting support groups and education integrated into treatment, family therapy including children when developmentally appropriate, support navigating custody issues and CPS involvement, and connections to Charlotte-area residential programs that do accept mothers with children for women needing 24/7 care. We also provide treatment focused on your role as a mother including parenting skills training, support for reunification with children in custody, addressing mom guilt and shame, and balancing recovery with motherhood responsibilities. Research shows children can be powerful motivation for women’s recovery—we honor and support your role as a mother rather than shaming you. Your children need you healthy and in recovery. Call (704) 961-9322 to discuss your specific childcare situation and how we can help.
Yes, Nova Transformations provides comprehensive gender-specific addiction treatment for women in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our specialized women’s programs include trauma-informed care addressing the 85-90% of women in treatment with trauma histories including sexual abuse, domestic violence, and childhood trauma using evidence-based therapies like EMDR and trauma-focused CBT, dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders especially depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and borderline personality disorder which are more common in women, women-focused therapy groups providing safe spaces to discuss women-specific issues including trauma healing, body image, relationships, motherhood, and domestic violence recovery, support for pregnant and postpartum women with prenatal care coordination, MAT safe for pregnancy, and postpartum depression treatment, parenting support including parenting skills training, childcare resource referrals, family therapy, and custody/reunification assistance, medication-assisted treatment when appropriate with buprenorphine or naltrexone, individual therapy with female therapists available, Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs with flexible scheduling, holistic approaches including yoga, mindfulness, nutrition counseling, and expressive therapies, and comprehensive aftercare planning. We provide compassionate, non-judgmental care understanding the unique challenges women face. Call (704) 961-9322 for a confidential assessment.
Yes, absolutely. Being pregnant and struggling with addiction is frightening, but help is available and seeking treatment is the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby. At Nova Transformations in Charlotte, we provide non-judgmental, compassionate care for pregnant women with substance use disorders including coordination with prenatal care providers ensuring you receive proper obstetric care alongside addiction treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone or buprenorphine for opioid addiction which research shows is safer for pregnancy than continued illicit drug use or withdrawal, treatment for other substance use including alcohol, stimulants, benzodiazepines with medically-supervised approaches, monitoring for pregnancy complications, nutritional support addressing malnutrition common in addiction, education about Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and what to expect, planning for delivery and immediate postpartum period, preparation for motherhood and parenting, mental health treatment for depression, anxiety, or trauma, and support navigating fears about CPS involvement and custody. It’s critical to understand that seeking treatment protects you legally and medically—it demonstrates you’re taking responsibility and getting help. Continuing to use without treatment has far worse legal and medical consequences. We understand your fear and shame, but your baby needs you healthy. North Carolina has resources specifically for pregnant women with addiction. Call (704) 961-9322 immediately for confidential help. Time matters for you and your baby.
The connection between domestic violence and substance use in women is extremely common—40-60% of women in addiction treatment have experienced intimate partner violence. Many women use substances to cope with ongoing abuse, numb emotional pain, manage trauma symptoms, or because abusive partners force or pressure substance use. Treatment can help through trauma-informed care that recognizes abuse as trauma requiring specialized healing, safety planning if you’re in current danger with connections to Charlotte domestic violence resources like Safe Alliance, empowerment-focused therapy restoring autonomy and choice that abuse stripped away, addressing co-occurring PTSD, depression, and anxiety stemming from abuse, teaching healthy coping skills beyond substances, women-only treatment spaces where you feel safe sharing your experiences, legal advocacy and referrals for protective orders and custody concerns, housing assistance connecting you with safe housing away from abuser if needed, and support whether you choose to leave the relationship or not—we meet you where you are without judgment. It’s important to know that couples therapy is contraindicated (dangerous) when abuse is present—individual treatment for you is what’s needed. You deserve to be safe and to heal from both addiction and abuse. Recovery is possible even while in abusive relationships, though leaving often improves outcomes. Charlotte resources: Safe Alliance (980) 771-4673 or National DV Hotline 1-800-799-7233. Call Nova at (704) 961-9322 for confidential support.
Fear of losing child custody is one of the biggest barriers preventing women from seeking addiction treatment, but here’s the reality: Seeking treatment demonstrates to courts and Child Protective Services that you recognize the problem and are taking action, which is viewed much more favorably than continuing to use without help. Proactively getting treatment before CPS involvement shows responsibility and commitment to your children. Treatment creates a record of recovery efforts that helps in custody proceedings. Many women maintain custody while in outpatient treatment. If CPS is already involved, engagement in treatment is often required and dramatically improves chances of reunification. Not seeking treatment has far worse legal consequences—continued substance use while parenting puts custody at much greater risk. At Nova Transformations in Charlotte, we provide support for mothers navigating custody issues including connections with family law attorneys and legal aid, guidance on working with CPS, documentation of treatment participation for court, parenting skills training demonstrating parental fitness, family therapy when appropriate, and advocacy on your behalf. North Carolina’s goal is family preservation when safe—treatment is the pathway to keeping or regaining custody. The best way to protect your relationship with your children is to get help now. Call (704) 961-9322 for confidential support. Your children need you healthy and in recovery.
References and Resources
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2024). Treatment for Women with Substance Use Disorders. TIP 51. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2024). Substance Use in Women Research Report. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/
- Greenfield, S. F., Brooks, A. J., Gordon, S. M., et al. (2007). Substance abuse treatment entry, retention, and outcome in women: A review of the literature. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 86(1), 1-21.
- Covington, S. S. (2008). Women and Addiction: A Trauma-Informed Approach. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 40(sup5), 377-385.
- Najavits, L. M. (2002). Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse. New York: Guilford Press.
- Brady, K. T., & Randall, C. L. (1999). Gender differences in substance use disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 22(2), 241-252.
- Zilberman, M., Tavares, H., & el-Guebaly, N. (2003). Gender similarities and differences: The prevalence and course of alcohol- and other substance-related disorders. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 22(4), 61-74.
- Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2024). Substance Use Disorder in Women. Retrieved from https://www.womenshealth.gov/
- American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). (2024). Gender-Specific Treatment for Substance Use Disorders.
- McHugh, R. K., Votaw, V. R., Sugarman, D. E., & Greenfield, S. F. (2018). Sex and gender differences in substance use disorders. Clinical Psychology Review, 66, 12-23.
Charlotte-Area Women’s Resources:
- Nova Transformations Charlotte: (704) 961-9322
- Safe Alliance (Domestic Violence): (980) 771-4673
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Mecklenburg County DSS (Child Welfare): (704) 336-3000
- Legal Aid of North Carolina: (866) 219-5262
- Pregnancy Support Services: (704) 377-0037
- Postpartum Support International: 1-800-944-4773
- Women’s Crisis Line: Call or text 988
- Charlotte Women’s Support Groups: Various 12-step and recovery groups
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Women’s addiction treatment requires specialized professional care. Always consult qualified healthcare providers for treatment decisions. If you’re pregnant and using substances, seek medical care immediately.
Last Updated: November 5, 2025 | Author: Nova Transformations Clinical Team | Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
