Substance Abuse in Men & Women [Infographic]

Men are More Likely to Eventually Use Drugs When Given the Opportunity

One study conducted by the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found some interesting results regarding which gender is most likely to accept an opportunity to use drugs. According to the study, men were more likely to be given the opportunity to use drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, and heroin. While that may or not be surprising, what is interesting is what percent of men and women eventually took that opportunity and used the drugs they were offered.

Although 59% of men surveyed had the opportunity to use marijuana in the past year, only 39.2% actually used marijuana. That is significant compared to women, only 28% of whom used marijuana in the past year. This statistical trend repeated itself across multiple types of drugs. This means that men were less likely to repeatedly turn down the opportunity to use drugs of all varieties.

Far More Men Seek Substance Abuse Treatment Than Women

In a 2011 report, it was revealed that more than 1.23 million people sought help through rehab, detox or addiction treatment programs. In that same time period, only 609,000 women sought treatment. This means that, on average, treatment facilities are made up of 67% male patients and 33% female patients.

Men are More Likely to Die From Drug Overdoses

Unfortunately, drug overdoses are something that can impact both men and women. Men, however, are far more likely to end up in the emergency room or even the morgue as a result of an illicit drug overdose. This doesn’t mean that women are off the hook, as they can still become victims of a fatal drug overdose.

Women are Just as Likely as Men to Become Addicted

A common myth surrounding drug and alcohol abuse is that men are more likely to become addicted than women. While more men may abuse substances like drugs and alcohol, there is no statistical difference between the rates of addiction when comparing the two genders.

Among Teenagers, Substance Abuse is Equal Between the Sexes

Although there is clearly more drug and alcohol abuse among men when compared to women, that difference doesn’t manifest itself until adulthood. Among teenagers, there’s no discernible difference in the rates of addiction between girls and boys. Among youths between the ages of 12 and 17, just over 6% are dependent on a substance of some kind. This statistic is across the board between both girls and boys, showing equality in terms of teenage addiction.

Knowing more about the similarities between substance dependence, abuse, and addiction for men and women can highlight differences in effective treatment methods. At Beaches Recovery, both men and women can seek the help they need for recovery.

Get Addiction Recovery Help Today

At Beaches Recovery, we understand everyone needs their own treatment. Luckily, we have treatment programs available to our patients to get the best possible results. some of these programs include:

• Hiking Therapy Program
• Music Therapy Program
• Heroin Addiction Rehab Center
• Alcohol Addiction Rehab Center

Don’t wait any longer to get the help that you need. Call 866.605.0532 to speak with an addiction expert and get started on your road to recovery today.