Women and Alcohol: Risks, Benefits and Why We’re Different Center for Women’s Health
One study found alcohol-related visits to the emergency room from 2006 to 2014 increased 70% for women, compared with 58% for men. Another paper reported that the rate of alcohol-related cirrhosis from 2009 to 2015 rose 50% for women, compared with 30% for men. One study that looked at alcohol’s effects on college students early in the pandemic found increased alcohol use among those who reported higher levels of stress and anxiety. And several studies found women were more likely to report rises in drinking during the pandemic, especially if they experienced increased stress.
Sex Differences in Alcohol Effects on Brain Structure and Function
Taking into account standard error, the clearest differences were observed among White, Black, and Latina women, the three largest groups. DSM-IV alcohol abuse prevalence was higher in White women compared to Black women before midlife (younger than age 45), and higher than DSM-IV alcohol abuse prevalence of Latinas in all but the oldest age group (ages 65 and older). Women are more vulnerable than men to alcohol’s effects, even after drinking smaller amounts. Heavy drinking can lead to increased risk of health problems such as liver disease, brain damage, and breast cancer. Women are as likely as men to recover from alcohol dependence, but women may have more difficulty gaining access to treatment. Pain, for example, may be both a risk factor and a consequence of excessive drinking.121,122 Although alcohol can reduce and even quell pain in some individuals when alcohol is initially used, over time increasing amounts of women and alcoholism alcohol are needed to achieve pain relief, with the paradoxical effect that alcohol consumption exacerbates pain intensity.
- “For us to address issues with alcohol, we also need to address these pervasive issues with mental health,” White says.
- By examining what happens within and between social groups across the life span, the widening of social group differences in cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage, health, and alcohol-related problems—especially after young adulthood—becomes more noticeable.
- The first step in getting help is to recognize the hidden risks of alcohol use for women.
It’s easy to cross the line into risky drinking
What’s more, despite alcohol’s temporary calming properties, it can actually increase anxiety and depression, research suggests; some studies show it may lead to depression more quickly in women than in men. In Cooper’s case, drinking eventually led her to drop out of college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She moved back home and was soon taking a shot or two of vodka each morning before heading to the office for her finance job, followed by two more drinks at lunch.
Other Social and Biological Factors
This included recruiting a new group of women who specialize in tactical law enforcement, science, technology and forensics as well as mission support staff. Treasury Department, ATF was originally responsible for enforcing the National Prohibition Law of 1919, also known as the Volstead Act. Female prohibition agents such as Georgia Hopley and Hannah Brigham worked to uncover evidence of criminal activities and dismantle illegal alcohol trafficking organizations. More than 100 years ago, ATF was created to serve as the federal agency responsible for investigating criminal activities and organizations with a focus on making communities across the nation safe. Since the beginning, women have played a critical role in enforcing federal laws, capturing violent criminals and making historic changes in law enforcement that still hold true today. Maybe you find yourself thinking a lot about the next time you’ll be having a drink and what you’re going to have.
“From less years of alcohol use, women are getting sicker faster,” says Sugarman, of McLean Hospital. Victoria Cooper thought her drinking habits in college were just like everyone else’s. Sure, she got more refills than some and missed classes while nursing hangovers, but she couldn’t have a problem, she thought.