All my buddies was male: relationship issues of women with addictions

There is a common perception that women who abuse drugs and alcohol do not like women. How does this attitude relate to women's abuse of drugs, and what difference might it make to the nursing care of addicted women. The importance of relationships to self and others has been emphasized in nursing theories, recent theories of women's psychologic development, and the social models used to explain substance abuse. This article examines what is known about the interpersonal relationships of women with addictions, including those with men and with other women, and explores how those relationships are associated with women's substance abuse behaviors. A brief explanation of current theories of women's psychologic development is followed by a review of the literature regarding the relationships of women with addiction problems, highlighting their attitudes toward themselves as women and the importance of the adult mother-daughter relationship. Implications for the treatment of addicted women by nurses are discussed.