From Stigma to Strength: The New Face of Women’s Rehab in India

Mental health disorders can influence the lives of many women. Major depressive disorder, eating disorders and addiction-related concerns are some of the many issues females may face. These can impact their daily functioning, social relationships and professional life. Due to the stigma around mental health, seeking support can also become difficult. It is time that we, as a society, try to reduce this stigma and treat every individual with dignity and respect.

Women’s rehabilitation centre offers a space for healing in a structured and safe environment. Here, you can look beyond stigma and move towards building strength!

What is the Stigma Around Women’s Rehab?

There is a lot of stigma around the women’s rehabilitation centre that can be observed in the following ways:

1.  Perceiving help-seeking behaviour as a weakness instead of a strength

2.  Associating drug rehab for women with moral failure and neglecting medical care

3.  Labelling and shaming females for seeking professional mental health support

Women’s mental health is just as important as anybody else’s, and therefore, we need to become mindful and make efforts to create more awareness about the need for seeking professional support.

Why Is There So Much Stigma Around Women’s Rehab in India?

Despite consistent efforts to reduce stigma around women’s rehab in India, stereotypes and prejudices may still exist because of the following reasons:

1.  Deep-rooted societal expectations

2. Limited mental health awareness

3.  Lack of honest conversations

4.  Portrayal of stereotypes through media

5.  Cultural pressure faced by women

How Stigma Stops Women from Seeking Help

Stigma can make it challenging for women to seek help. This can happen because of many reasons, such as the fear of society’s judgment. A female seeking support might worry about what others may say or how she might be perceived. The chances of this happening may increase, especially if the role of a female is sought in that society as that of caregiver and not care-seeker. These beliefs can lead to the development of an internalised feeling of shame that may further escalate to denial about one’s concerns.

Women’s Mental Health & Addiction – The Real Connection

There can be numerous reasons contributing towards addiction related concerns in women. A few of the possible reasons can include:

1.  Use of substances for coping with emotional pain

2.  Use of substances due to traumatic incidents

3.  Difficulty seeking healthy support or adaptive coping

The points mentioned above can be some possible reasons explaining how women’s use of substances and drugs may begin and gradually turn into addiction.

Treatment That Fits Women’s Real Lives

A female can be playing so many roles at once that it might become difficult to take time for mental health support. A female may be a loving daughter, a caring parent, a hardworking professional, and so much more. The treatment should be designed in such a way that it suits the real lives of females. Some of the points that drug rehab for women and alcohol rehab for women can include in their facilities include:

1. Trauma-informed care

2. Flexible programs for mothers

3. Support for hormonal health

4. Family counselling sessions

5.  Holistic and comprehensive care

How Society Can Help End the Stigma

Society can take some meaningful steps to end stigma and encourage mental health support for women. These steps can look like:

1.  Honest and meaningful conversations regarding mental health

2.  Understanding addiction from a scientific lens instead of moral failure

3.  Expressing empathy for each other instead of judgment

4.  Participating in mental health seminars and workshops

5.  Normalising behaviour that encourages mental health support

Real Recovery: From Stigma to Strength

Recovery shall begin with acknowledging one’s concerns and shifting focus from blaming to goal-setting. Women can rediscover their strengths on this recovery journey. The right mental health support can allow a female to work at her own pace and in a safe space. Women can learn healthier coping mechanisms and rebuild their inner-confidence. Joining support groups with people sharing similar journeys can also be an empowering step.

Conclusion

Athena OKAS is a renowned women’s rehab in India that aims to create an environment of healing for all the clients. We focus on holistic healing by considering the nutritional support, emotional support, hormonal health and physical wellness as part of the treatment plan. Our psychologists are trained and well-informed about the concerns females may go through and the type of support that they can find beneficial.

You can call us at +91 9289730444, and we shall make the best possible effort to support your recovery journey!