Generally, women require a gender specific approach in the treatment of their substance abuse issues. Substance abuse is different for women and their reasons for using are usually different from male addicts.

Often female addicts have certain preexisting psychological, family, and social problems that contribute to their substance abuse. The psychological issues are generally related to problems with their mood like depression, anxiety, negative sense of self, low self esteem, lack of proper coping skills, and an inadequate social support system.The family issue that the women substance abusers may have experienced can include childhood abuse particularly sexual in nature, they may have dealt with parental drug addiction, they may have had a parent with mental illness and they may have experienced a parents rejection or absence, they may also have lost a parent to death or divorce and they also may have been a victim of violence as a child or adult.

Socially women are more likely to have experienced isolation, they may come from lower income backgrounds and often they are single mothers left to cope on their own. Typically the catalyst for women who seek addiction treatment for their substance abuse problems is strained relationships, especially with their children or partner. Most of the time that is the sole reason for seeking substance abuse treatment and they are not typically motivated by any other reasons. Treatment for women with substance abuse issues is usually very effective and  it does improve their lives in a much broader scope. Once they have addressed underlying issues that may have initially lead them to substance abuse, they have any easier time leading a productive sober life.