The survey, which included 120 women in recovery, female counselors, and therapists, took place during the "Women Healing: Restoring Connection" conference, held recently in White Plains, N.Y. The conference was sponsored by the Betty Ford Center, the Caron Foundation, and the Hazelden Foundation.

"Women said the inability to admit the problem is severe enough to warrant treatment is the greatest barrier to treatment. Chances are, both denial and unfamiliarity with the symptoms of addiction are to blame," said Susan M. Gordon, Ph.D., director of research for the Caron Foundation. "We need to do a better job of educating women about addiction, the effectiveness of treatment, and rewards of recovery."

When asked to identify the top three barriers to addiction treatment, half of the conference participants said the inability to admit the problem is severe enough to warrant treatment; 35 percent said lack of emotional support for treatment from family members; and 27 percent said thinking addiction is a symptom of an emotional problem and seeking psychiatric or mental-health therapy instead of addiction treatment.

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