Is there addiction counselling specifically for women?

Yes, there is addiction counselling with a gender-sensitive focus. In the Suchthilfeverzeichnis of the Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS, German Centre for Addiction Issues), you can find it through the filter "Gendersensible Suchtarbeit (Frauen, Männer, Divers)". Whether a service is specifically there for women is best clarified directly with the service. This article shows how to proceed and which questions are worth asking.

Why gender can matter in conversation

Consumption, worries and feelings of guilt are experienced differently by different people. Some women prefer to talk with a specialist of their own gender. Others are concerned about family, children or relationships, and the conversation should start exactly there. If such points matter to you, raise them at first contact. Tell the service at first contact what matters to you.

How a service works in practice, you find out by asking.

How to filter in the Suchthilfeverzeichnis

The DHS Suchthilfeverzeichnis works with a search form. You can filter by postcode or place, radius, federal state, topic, type of offer, language and target group ("Für Wen", meaning "for whom"). One postcode is enough to start.

1. Open the DHS Suchthilfeverzeichnis at dhs.de.
2. Enter a postcode or place and a suitable radius.
3. Under "Für Wen" (for whom), choose the filter "Gendersensible Suchtarbeit (Frauen, Männer, Divers)".
4. Note two or three services and call them.

The entries are based on information provided by the services themselves. A target group entry is therefore a first clue, and it does not guarantee that a specialist for women is available. Ask on the phone whether a specialist for women is available.

Questions you can ask a service

Targeted questions help you quickly establish whether a service suits you. These questions are useful:

• Are there female counsellors I can speak with?
• Are family or relationship issues taken into account in the conversation?
• How long does it take to get an appointment?
• Is the conversation confidential, and what gets documented?

Write down the answers. If a service cannot answer your questions, that is also information. Then keep looking.

Women with children in the household

Some women come to counselling because they are worried about their children or because use is affecting family life. In the DHS directory, under "Für Wen" (for whom), there is also the filter "Betroffene mit Kind" (affected people with a child). The article How does addiction counselling for parents help? explains how such conversations can work.

Anyone who wants to keep their own strain in view will find tips on respecting their own limits in the article How do I look after myself as a mother or father?

Online counselling as an alternative

Online services can lower the barrier if you want to talk anonymously at first. The online counselling from mindzone is described as confidential. It is also described as anonymous and free of charge. There you can find counselling on effects, risks, patterns of use and dependence.

Whether you prefer to talk online or in person depends on your everyday life. The article Online counselling or a local service: what fits? compares both routes.

Pregnancy and cannabis

Anyone who is pregnant, wants to have a child or is breastfeeding should raise the subject early with a doctor. For this reason, the DHS advises: "If you want to have a child, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, you should avoid using cannabis." If you have questions about this, take them into the conversation with the counselling service or your doctor.

Violence and dependence in relationships

Some women find that a partner's use strongly affects their own lives. If you feel threatened or unsafe, counselling is a first step. According to its own website, the Hilfetelefon "Gewalt gegen Frauen" (violence against women helpline) can be reached on 116 016, 365 days a year around the clock, and it counsels confidentially and anonymously. In acute danger, call the emergency number 112. The article Where can relatives get counselling about cannabis use? offers further guidance on handling this situation.

Prevention and early support

Early conversations help before habits become entrenched. Anyone who notices that use is weighing on everyday life, work or family should not wait too long. Counselling services and online services are there for this, including for low use or when in doubt.

If you feel unsure in the conversation

Uncertainty is common at a first conversation. You may ask for a pause, have questions repeated or end the conversation if it feels wrong. If a service does not suit you, you can apply to another one.

Ask what happens next if that remains unclear.

What you can do now

1. Search the Suchthilfeverzeichnis by postcode and the filter "Gendersensible Suchtarbeit".
2. Call two or three services and ask the questions from this article.
3. Check an online service if you want to talk anonymously at first.
4. Take a note with your questions to the first appointment.

For a first phone conversation, there is the Sucht & Drogen Hotline, which can be reached on 01806 313031; opening times and costs are listed at sucht-und-drogen-hotline.de. In case of acute danger, call the emergency number 112.