SUBSTANCE USE & HEALTH
Reasons women use and misuse substances; and its impact on women’s health
Research has shown that women often use drugs differently, respond to drugs differently, and can have unique obstacles to effective recovery such as being prescribed treatment that has not been adequately tested on women (NIDA, 2018). “Women describe unique reasons for using drugs, including controlling weight, fighting exhaustion, coping with pain and attempts to self-treat mental health problems” 5
BODY DISSATISFACTION
The influence of media, culture, family and peers on women’s body image and self-esteem; and its relationship to substance use/misuse
"There is a two-way relationship between body image disorders and alcohol/substance abuse. Alcohol and substance addicts have lower body image scores. Alcohol and substance use may emerge in order to alleviate the anxiety arising from impairment of body image. High social anxiety, low self-esteem and low body image may be among the causes that facilitate addiction.” 6
NUTRITION & RECOVERY
The basic nutrients our bodies need; deficiencies while using drugs and during treatment; and the role of a healthy diet for successful recovery
Poor nutritional status in individuals with SUD “severely impacts physical and psychological health, which may impede their ability to resist substances of abuse and recover their health.” 7
WEIGHT CONCERNS & BODY COMPOSITION
Perception of fat and weight based on societal influences; and the impact of body composition on use and relapse
“Roughly 60% of women in treatment for substance abuse indicated that they often, usually, or always wanted to lose weight, of which 34% endorsed using illicit drugs to lose weight” 8
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
The role of physical activity in substance use disorder, depression, anger and stress; and how to promote physical activity during recovery
“Findings that physical activity may attenuate emotion dysregulation suggest that physical activity may contribute to improvements in depression and anxiety through improvements in emotion regulation.” 9
METABOLISM, SUPPLEMENTS AND DIETING
Dangerous dieting and supplement practices; and healthy alternatives to achieve energy balance and improve impaired metabolism
“Estimates suggest that one-third of adolescents and two-thirds of adults engage in dieting. Dieting can increase the risk of eating disorders, and other psychological concerns, such as depressive symptoms and substance use.” 10
SHOPPING & EATING HEALTHY ON A BUDGET
How to make healthy choices in the grocery store and maintain a budget while shopping
“Nutrition education, particularly with a substance abuse treatment focus provided within a group setting, is associated with positive substance abuse treatment outcomes and should be included as a component of treatment.” 11
DISORDERED EATING
Disordered eating behaviors and other co-occurring disorders; risk factors associated with these issues; and the role they play in recovery
“Eating disorders (ED) occur more frequently in substance use disorder (SUD) populations than in the general population.” “The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse estimated 50% of women with ED abuse substances.” 12
MEAL PLANNING
How to incorporate healthy meal planning into daily routines for women plagued by time constraints and overwhelming responsibility
“Food preparation habits and skills have been associated with healthier dietary intakes.” 13
DISTORTED THINKING
Mental filters and influences that affect eating behaviors and improve recovery rates
“Across persons, higher Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT) predicted higher binge eating, weighing, body checking, excessive exercise and restriction. Similarly, higher binge eating, weighing, body checking, excessive exercise, and restriction predicted higher RNT. These findings suggest that individuals who are higher in RNT are more likely to engage in many eating disorder behaviors.” 14