“I was relieved to hear that addiction was a brain disease that doesn’t discriminate.” - UMADAOP of Cincinnati client Superwomen in Recovery Unique challenges require unique treatment Specialized groups, like UMADAOP of Cincinnati’s women’s recovery group, allow women to address these issues without the burden of additional shame and guilt. It also allows women to receive the supportive help from one another they would not otherwise receive. One UMADAOP of Cincinnati client described her experience, saying, “I was relieved to hear that addiction was a brain disease that doesn’t discriminate. I am a highly successful woman and I felt guilty for being an addict because I didn’t have an excuse for my addiction. I didn’t come from a broken home, I wasn’t molested as a child, I didn’t live in poverty and I wasn’t abandoned by my father or husband.” She reported that shame kept her pretending as if no one had noticed she was an addict, and her guilt kept her out of treatment. She is not alone. When a woman is emotionally and spiritually bankrupt, she feels hopeless and helpless, which is contrary to how women are socialized. Women in America are socialized to be mothers, wives and superwomen, therefore, the aforementioned is out of the question.
The female clients of UMADAOP of Cincinnati are working to restore their families and their lives. UMADAOP of Cincinnati’s women’s recovery group is viewed as a “MUST DO” for the female clients if they are going to maintain sobriety. Nine out of 10 female clients serviced at UMADAOP of Cincinnati are in treatment due to opioid-based drug use.The female experience differs vastly in the drug culture than that of males, therefore the road to recovery is different. Women are usually saddled with a tremendous amount of guilt and shame associated with their addiction.They also deal with enormous loss, such as loss of self-esteem, dignity, children, spouses, employment, housing and self-respect.
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