The age-old question of “who gets drunks faster, women or men?” is still pondered, but at the heart of the debate is why? Women typically get drunker than men at a more rapid pace with less alcohol for several different reasons. Even if a man and a woman drink the same amount of alcohol at the same rate, when a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is read, women will mostly be much higher than men.
The readings have nothing to do with the stereotype of a woman being weaker than a man. There is just much more to the equation that makes alcohol affect women differently than men.
Physiological Differences
Men and women secrete different hormones that influence the way that alcohol alters the body. Female hormones can be a factor in getting them more drunk as well as the makeup of their bodies. Women have a higher ratio of water to fat composition than men, making female consumption of alcohol more potent. The fact is that men and women who are matched for size and weight metabolize alcohol differently due to these physical differences.
Psychological Differences
Women have also been said to suffer decline much more quickly than men. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “The consequence of heavy alcohol use as well as alcoholic complications may be more problematic in women than men, at least in some domains.
Women tend to suffer from alcohol-related physical illnesses and display more severe cognitive and motor impairment with significantly lower alcohol exposure compared with men.” Women who drink alcohol have been known to become addicted and gone beyond recall in a few years.
Using alcohol as a means to cope is quite common due to the pressures of raising kids, working full-time, and taking care of the household while hiding in their closets to escape. A woman drinker is often considered unladylike or socially unacceptable than a man who deserves to drink for being the breadwinner, which still seems like a relevant standard even in today’s world.
The number of women who abuse alcohol continues to increase steadily and is now equal to one-quarter of all drinkers. While women may have brought reality to the word “closet drinkers,” changing the stigma of addiction is extremely important. Addiction can strike anyone, anywhere, regardless of gender. More importantly, there is addiction treatment for anyone who needs help with the cessation of mind-altering substances to get their life back into full swing.
The Detox Center of Colorado offers outpatient and inpatient programs that use targeted, evidence-based therapy as a solution to resolve the issues brought about by the insidiousness of addiction. Recovery takes time and effort that our qualified staff can guide our clients through. We look at the whole person through their mental, physical, and spiritual aspects to understand the specific treatment that each client needs to be successful in their personal recovery. With our “Expanded Recovery,” we offer a full range of recovery and mental health services to restore our clients to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today to get started at (303) 536-5463.
