Casa Serena is a premier women’s drug and alcohol rehab in Santa Barbara that offers comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment. Contact us today to learn more about our available treatment services.

What is Gray Area Drinking?

Gray area drinking is defined as alcohol consumption that is not yet a qualifying substance use disorder but is only a few steps away. 

As the name suggests, this type of alcohol consumption is a gray area of drinking which means it’s somewhere between moderate consumption and an inability to control yourself.

Some people are gray area drinkers if they drink in non-social situations, perhaps by themselves, and they don’t have any reason to and question why they are doing it in the first place.

Other examples of gray area drinking involve people who experience physical hangovers and anxiety connected to heavy alcohol consumption.

In effect, gray area drinking is mindless consumption, not yet a physical dependence but drinking for no real reason, and more often than you would if you had a reason.

What Are the Signs of Gray Area Drinking?

During the pandemic, mindless alcohol consumption took the form of drinking at any hour and calling it “wine o’clock,” starting the day with a cocktail knowing that you didn’t have to go anywhere, or just drinking two or three times what you normally would in an evening knowing that you didn’t have to drive. 

But what are the signs of gray area drinking today?

• For some people, gray area drinking means having one glass to relax or deal with stress but ending up binge drinking.
• It’s common for gray area drinkers to experience physical side effects from their alcohol consumption, including hangovers. These physical effects are usually felt after a night of binge drinking.
• Other signs include building a tolerance such that you have to consume larger amounts of alcohol just to achieve the same relaxing effects.
• Gray area drinking means you feel compelled to consume alcohol in order to relax or enjoy yourself in social situations.
• Gray area drinkers start to have anxiety about their drinking habits, worrying that people might be judging their consumption or worrying that they are drinking too much.
• The gray area of drinking can lead to symptoms of trying to stop drinking for a few weeks or a few months but feeling compelled to return regardless.

How to Know When Alcohol Consumption Becomes a Problem

There are different levels of drinking. Alcohol consumption spans a spectrum between occasional binge drinking and addiction. 

Recognizing the stages in between can help you decide when it’s time to reach out to Casa Serena for detox and residential treatment center for women. 

Problem Drinking

Uncontrollable alcohol abuse on a regular basis can lead to problem drinking. Problem drinking is when you start to notice that drinking makes you sick, impacts your sleep, or leaves you feeling anxious and depressed, but you enjoy the effects of alcohol too much to stop. You might also notice social changes because of alcohol consumption, like sudden changes in your friends, decreased social activity, or relationship issues. You’re more likely to experience legal problems like driving under the influence at this stage.

Dependence

If you don’t get help, you’ll develop an alcohol dependence. Dependence is when you are aware that alcohol is adversely affecting your life, but you can’t control how much you consume. You may have developed a tolerance, so you’ll have to drink more in order to get the same buzz, and you’ll experience severe withdrawal symptoms if you sober up, like nausea, sweating, difficulty sleeping, irritability, or tremors. 

If you reach either of these places and need help, Casa Serena offers alcohol detox, inpatient, outpatient, and transitional living levels of care. Our full continuum of care is designed to meet your needs. Our staff can help you move through the most appropriate level of care while undergoing family therapy, trauma treatment, mental wellness, and career counseling. 

Your treatment takes place at our center, minutes from the beach. We provide gender-specific treatment for women, by women, so you can feel comfortable and safe in your recovery. 

Reach out to Casa Serena today to learn more about our treatment center.

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Casa Serena Treatment is a premier women’s drug and alcohol rehab in Santa Barbara. Contact us today to learn about our top-rated alcohol rehab for women.

How Many Women Struggle With Drinking?

How many women struggle with drinking? Are alcoholism rates in women different from men? 

• According to the CDC, 9% of women between eighteen and twenty-five have an alcohol use disorder. 
• Among high school students, females consume alcohol and binge drink more often than their male counterparts.
• 13% of adult women regularly binge drink.

What Are the Signs of Alcohol Abuse in Women?

There are dozens of signs indicative of alcoholism in women, and some women might show different signs than others.

Drinking Too Much 

One of the first signs of alcoholism is an inability to limit how much you drink. If you cannot set limits on how much you consume and can’t stop once you start drinking, it might be time for treatment. 

Inability to Cut Down

Women who are struggling with alcoholism are impulsive and unable to control themselves or how much they drink, even if they try. Once you are addicted to alcohol, you might find it difficult to stop drinking, make good decisions, or do healthier things like exercise.

Too Much Time on Alcohol

Women struggling with alcoholism we’ll spend too much time trying to manage alcohol, like getting more alcohol, drinking alcohol, or recovering from a hangover.

Cravings

Alcoholism can lead to severe cravings. Addiction means you feel empty, depressed, and maybe hollow without alcohol. So you do whatever you can to get more.

Neglecting Personal Responsibilities

Alcoholism impairs judgment, making it easy for women to miss school activities for their kids, work, or household chores. Women who are struggling with an alcohol abuse disorder might start neglecting their responsibilities and find it difficult to manage their lives. It’s common for women struggling with alcoholism to be less affectionate or not be there for their loved ones, which can cause damage and resentment among family members and friends.

Ignoring Consequences

When women drink, regardless of the consequences it has, it’s indicative of a problem. Most people will cut back if drinking starts to interfere with relationships or fun, but alcoholism makes it difficult to abstain in spite of all the problems alcohol might contribute to, like a DUI, ruined relationships, financial problems, and more. 

What Challenges Do Women Face During Alcohol Treatment?

Women face many challenges during alcohol treatment. Some challenges are external; they come from an unsupportive spouse or family obligations that demand attention instead of recovery. Other challenges are internal programs run exclusively by men using harsh treatment methods or gender stereotypes. 

Safe Environment

One of the biggest challenges for many women is finding women’s alcohol treatment that offers a safe environment. High rates of things like domestic abuse, mental health disorders, and discrimination contribute to women’s addiction. So women are much less likely to attend rehab if:

• There is a risk of group therapy with men who might look like their abusers, 
• There are rehab programs run by men who are more likely to use aggressive tactics, 
• There are risks of gender stereotypes or judgment at the facility. 

Social Support

Alcoholism rates in women won’t go down if women are unable to find social support during their recovery. That’s why it’s important to find women’s alcohol treatment that involves your families or partners.

Casa Serena Treatment Offers Comprehensive Women’s-Only Alcohol Rehab Programs in Santa Barbara

Many women struggling with alcoholism benefit from women’s alcohol treatment. Casa Serena offers treatment for women, by women. 

At our women’s alcohol treatment facility, we not only provide women-only care, but our staff is female. We provide a safe, supportive therapeutic environment where you can cultivate a relationship with your therapists based on empathy and mutual respect. We avoid harsh treatments like breaking down your morale so that you can rebuild and instead give you a chance to work with a team of professionals who don’t engage in any type of blame behavior, threatening tactics, or imposing gender stereotypes.

Whether you participate in our residential or outpatient levels of care, you’ll find our treatment center providing individual and family therapy. We go out of our way to incorporate your families, who can be equally effective in helping you complete your program.

Contact Casa Serena today to learn more about our beach-side women’s residential treatment center in Santa Barbara.

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