Women Alcoholics on the Rise

When you think of an alcoholic, you generally see a man lying face down on the sidewalk on your way to work in the morning, right? Well, maybe not exactly…but that is what I think of. However, women are beginning to catch up with men in regards to alcoholism rates. Our paychecks are still smaller but we drink almost just as much as men, if not more.

Women respond to alcohol differently than men, it takes more time for it to leave their system. Women also develop alcohol related problems more quickly than their male counterparts. Having other psychiatric problems besides alcohol seems to be more the rule as opposed to the exception. There is also a shorter period from when they first start drinking to when they develop problems. They have a shorter way to go before getting problems such as liver disease and social problems.

So what is the meaning of alcoholism? According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, it is defined as “a primary chronic disease characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking.” That just about sums it up. Some people can function normally on a day to day basis – they are called functioning alcoholics. It’s almost as if they become immune to it, their system becomes so used to it and it becomes like drinking water to them.

Women may condition themselves to think that they cannot socialize without “loosening up” first with a drink. A recent survey suggests that alcohol-dependent women have a 17 times higher suicide rate than other women. It magnifies the risk of suicide, perhaps because other mental disorders existed in the first place. A traumatic event or an anxiety disorder is worth exploring when a woman has a drinking problem. Obviously, the issue is more complicated than just having one too many drinks.