Chapter 14 and DSM IV define substance abuse as "a maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to repeated use of substances" (Ashman, 4th edition 2013, page 442). While researching my article I decided to find any differences between women and men who abuse substances. While researching the ERA capstone project we did for Human Services, I found that the causes of addiction in women were due to poverty, abuse, lack of resources, and other reasons that can all contribute to women's inequality in our society. The main reason why women become addicted is self-medication. I had a number of questions that I started asking myself and decided to do more research. Then I finally asked myself, “Why are women becoming more and more dependent?” In a newsletter from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “alcoholic women are more likely to report a history of physical and emotional child abuse than nonalcoholic women. Women who have been abused are fifteen times more likely to abuse alcohol and nine times more likely to abuse drugs than women who have not been abused (NCADC). Butler Research said another issue is that 82% of females who have a substance abuse problem have a mental health disorder compared to 68% of males in the same program. Women who suffer from substance abuse also have a higher rate of stressors and traumatic events. . These events include sexual and physical abuse, accidents, disruptions to family life, and sudden physical illnesses (Bradley, Ashley, Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Women are also more likely than men to experience recent physical, sexual or mental abuse. Female patients in treatment report having more problems... half of the document... Lina, Director of Mental Health Services for Women's Justice Services, Cook County Sheriff's Department. This graph is from the November/December 2008 SAMSHA newsletter: This graph is from the SAMSHA website: This 2002 graph from the DASIS report illustrates which substances women use compared to men. ://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/PrescriptionPainkillerOverdoses/ file:///C:/Users/Joyce/Downloads/BCRUpdate_WomenSubstanceAbuse0411.pdf http://www.ncadv.org/files/SubstanceAbuse.pdf http://www .samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2012SummNatFindDetTables/NationalFindings/NSDUHresults2012.htm http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsaNewsletter/Volume_16_Number_6/CallToAction.aspx http://www.samhsa.gov/data/WomenTX/WomenTX.htm#1.1.4