Women drink alcoholic beverages for a lot of the same reasons that men do. They want to relax on a quiet evening or have fun in social situations. Sometimes, consumption is a way to self-medicate to relieve stress, relieve insomnia, and even to relieve pain. But at times, it becomes excessive, causing health problems at a higher rate than what a man suffers with the same consumption. The reason for this is that women are usually smaller, they metabolize alcohol slower than men, and they most often have less water in their bodies. In knowing these facts, research showed other reasons why women drink.
Past circumstances, such as being sexually abused, prompts excessive alcohol use to forget details of the abuse. Later in life, being unmarried, divorced or separated may cause excessive drinking in order to relieve the symptoms of depression or anger. However, alcohol itself can be a depressant, lending to the problems at hand. If the woman has an abusive spouse or significant other, drinking alcohol acts as a coping mechanism as well giving a numbing effect against the emotional and physical pain they feel. In addition, if a spouse or significant other is a heavy drinker, the woman is more likely to pick up a drink herself.
Studies have also found that women tend to begin drinking alcohol earlier in life than men, compounding the percentage that continues on to alcohol abuse. It was found that seventeen percent of ninth-grade girls admitted to having more than five alcoholic beverages in a month, which was higher than boys of the same age. Having experienced the effects of limited alcohol, the pattern continues into adulthood, when age makes it appropriate to have more for stronger effect.
However, alcohol affects women different medically than men. The brain and liver are affected differently due to weight, size and tolerance. A woman that drinks less than a man can have the same amount of mental and physical impairment, and develop damage to the liver and stomach as well as other alcohol-related conditions more quickly than a man.
It must be noted that moderation is a key issue, no matter the gender. Addition studies have found that women over the age of 55 that have one drink a day may lower their risk of heart disease. Recent studies suggest the same for men, stating that a five to six ounce glass of wine may be beneficial for heart health. However, under the age 55, states the study, alcohol consumption may have no benefit at all. With both genders, drinking alcohol in excess causes more health problems than the benefits to be obtained, and should be avoided.
Along with liver problems, kidney damage and esophageal problems, excessive alcohol consumption to leads to a higher risk of cancer, personal injury due to physical and mental impairment, depression, and brain damage. Unfortunately, halting the behavior is easier said than done.
