Eight myths about women alcoholism

When a woman drinks, it is considered asocial and unusual. Alcoholism among men is a global phenomenon that almost every person has come across with. As for female alcoholism, the situation is different, and the phenomenon of drinking women has generated a plethora of myths and legends.

Myth 1: Women's alcoholism incurable

In fact, it can be cured. Moreover, women take a more serious approach to treating their addiction to alcohol than men. However, it takes women more time to come back to normal life, as women alcoholics resort to medical assistance at a time when the disease has reached an advanced stage. In addition, women are always involved in the problem emotionally, plus they are more dependent on the opinions of others. To crown it all, women and men receive different treatment for alcoholism, because the nature of the disease is different for men and women. As a rule, when a man drinks, he wants to relax. Women resort to drinking in a hope to solve problems of their imaginary or real inconsistency, for example. Last but not least, on account of peculiarities of female physiology, the disease develops quicker in women than in men.

Myth 2: Blame it on bad heredity

In fact: It is predisposition to alcoholism, but not alcoholism per se that can be hereditary. Genetic predisposition does not mean that a glass of wine may trigger the speedy development of the disease. One only needs to be as much cautious as possible not to step on a slippery road.

Myth 3: Wine and cognac can not trigger alcoholism as these are fine drinks, unlike beer and vodka

In fact: Abuse of any alcoholic beverage, including beer, cocktails, wines, vermouths, etc. leads to one and the same result - alcoholism. The only difference is about the degree of toxic lesions caused by strong and weak alcoholic beverages. For example, alcoholic intoxication after drinking wine is less pronounced than after cognac, for example. As a result, people drink wine more often than cognac and, accordingly, become addicted to wine easier.

Myth 5: Drinking should be skillful. If you know your dose, you never become an alcoholic

In fact: There is a conventionally safe dose for women: 15-20 grams of pure ethanol (ethyl alcohol). A glass of wine (250 ml) contains 25 g of ethanol, a shot of vodka (50 ml) - 20 g, one bottle of beer  - 16 g.  Therefore, one either needs to carry a calculator to a party or drink less than a glass of wine at a time. Ethanol works faster for women than it does for men as women usually weigh less.  Medics believe that one should have a comprehensive approach to the problem: it all depends on the weight of a woman, her age, health status, co-morbidities and heredity.

Myth 6: Female body more sensitive to alcohol

In fact: it is true. Women digest alcohol easier and quicker because of the constant fluctuations of hormones in connection with the menstrual cycle. The fair sex has more adipose tissue in the body - this is an important detail, because ethyl alcohol accumulates in adipose tissue before it penetrates into organs. Alcohol is cleaved by water molecules, the content of which in the female body is ten percent lower. In any case, the concentration of alcohol in the body of a woman will be higher, even if she is of the same height and weight with a man, with whom they have had the same amount of the same drink. Most importantly, women have a much lower level of two key enzymes that break down alcohol. If a lady would drink as much as a gentleman, the ethanol content in her blood will certainly be higher.

Myth 7: A glass of wine in the evening has not hurt anyone. Is there a better way to get into the spirit and relieve stress?

In fact: this statement is debatable. If you drink infrequently in small doses, then a glass of weak alcohol feels relaxing. Yet, the point is that the feeling becomes addictive and is not suitable as a daily pill for joy. A larger dose changes the action to the opposite.

Myth 8: It is single women who become alcoholics; married women too busy with family and children

In fact: there is no big difference here. Single women may often drink reflecting on their inconsistency, while successful ladies may drink too. The right hemisphere of the brain is dominant in many women. This hemisphere is known to be responsible for emotion, intuition and empathy. If a woman is prone to codependency, her social status does not matter. Such women easily convince themselves that they are guilty of their unhappy marriage. They literally make themselves responsible for everything that happens in their house. If her husband likes to "relax" with a glass of alcohol, the woman often becomes his indispensable boon companion.

Medpulse