The Rise in Number of Woman Alcoholics Is a Growing Concern: Experts
In a new trend, gender differences in drinking are decreasing. And reinforcing this fact, Gabrielle Glaser, a journalist and author of “Her Best-Kept Secret: Why Women Drink – and How They Can Regain Contro,” says, “Women in America are drinking more than ever in recent history, and they are suffering growing consequences.”
According to a 2015 study, published in the “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research,” “Women may be just as likely as men to be feeling the aftereffects of too much alcohol over Thanksgiving while men still drink more than women, the gap is closing.”
It is a growing concern that more women are turning into alcoholics than assumed. Even if it is the harmless Blanc, it is a cause of concern as 5.3 million women in the U.S. have a drinking problem. A visit to any rehab would surely highlight the growing number of women turning alcoholics lately.
Startling facts about alcoholism in women
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the number of drinking days over one month rose from 6.8 days in 2002 to 7.3 days in 2012 in women. On the contrary, it fell from 9.9 days to 9.5 days for men. Looking at the findings, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) director George F. Koob said, “This study confirms what other recent reports have suggested about changing patterns of alcohol use by men and women in the U.S.”
One of the prime concerns arising from these facts is that women are at a greater risk for alcohol-related health outcomes than men, such as cardiovascular disease and liver inflammation. They are more likely to be affected by the ill effects of alcoholism and earlier than men.
According to another report published in the Medical News Today, 10 percent women in the U.S. drink alcohol during pregnancy. Not only the mother, but also the unborn child is highly impacted from the negative effects of consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
The researchers are not clear about the reasons behind the closing gender gap for alcohol use in the U.S. They say that further and deeper probe is required.
Glaser says that the more money and education a woman has, the more likely she is to drink and on the surface, women’s increased consumption looks like a sign of equality. But she warns of disparate outcomes from this one parity and equation between men and women. A women’s body has more fat which is why it retains more alcohol and less water. So, “women drinking the same amount as men who are the same size become drunk more quickly, and stay intoxicated longer,” she added.
Points to be careful about
Putting across her views on dealing with growing alcoholism among women, Glaser says, “As more women drink, more will get into trouble with their drinking. It’s time we understand that there are many roads to recovery.”
Few points to be kept in mind regarding alcoholism are:
- It is important to remember that alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not same.
- Alcoholism can strike anytime and mostly it starts out as self-medication.
- The quantity of consumption matters a lot.
- Alcoholism wreaks havoc on the physiology.
- An addiction can be treated.
- But it is a long and arduous process with no quick and easy remedy.
- Exercise plays a key role in reducing the risk of becoming an alcoholic.
For further information on alcoholism and subsequent treatment, call any Alcohol Addiction Helpline in your area.
Barbara Odozi is associated with Florida Alcohol Addiction Helpline for many years. The Helpline provides assistance in finding alcohol treatment centers in your area. For more information call 866-220-5381.
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