Women Drinkers Suffer

Women drinkers have no socio-economic boundaries. Chronic drinkers can be welfare mothers, sex-trade workers, physician’s wives, lawyers or suburban housewives.

Women drinkers are the fastest growing segment of substance abusers in the United States. That’s about 2.7 million American females, according to the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

The classic stereotype of the passive woman, dependent on a male is rapidly changing. Today’s chronic drinkers are professionals in their 20’s and 30’s with powerful careers and disposable incomes. They often don’t have children to pick up after school and bars have become the place to relax and meet friends at the end of the day. According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, designer drinks, are particularly attractive - raspberry and pomegranate vodkas, flavored martinis and similar drinks are marketed with images that tell them they’re, “sexy, smart, fun loving and desirable.”

Like men, women drinkers go out to lunch with friends and colleagues and order drinks. Alcohol takes off the stress of work and the dating scene. The place to meet has become the bar – which can be dangerous. Blackouts can be a side effect of getting drunk and even if they were raped, drunk women may not remember a thing.

I’ve heard intelligent, religious, successful people say that “if it weren’t for that drink, I never would have danced all night, or had sex with a stranger." This can also be sex addiction

It can happen to any one of us. Alcohol and drugs really twists our thinking

Reasons for drinking

To forget immediate problems: anxiety, insomnia, suppress pain and loss, pressure, courage to express feelings, etc.

Differences

Developing dependence faster then men. Suffering physical harm more than men.

Requiring less alcohol to get drunk than men.

Getting less emotional support than men.

Suffering more guilt as a ‘bad parent’ then men.

70% report histories of physical & sexual abuse before 11 year.

Increased risk for miscarriage, still birth, low weight gain, and

medical problems.

High correlation between eating disorders and substance abuse affect women drinkers

Lack of funding, referral, women-oriented services, and child-related responsibilities are obstacles for women to get help. If you have a question about yourself or another person in your life, share it. Others can be helped too

Another problem - binge drinking

If you or someone else you know has a problem, there are pages on this site that can help you. You can also check for AA meetings as well as NA meetings

If you are a child of alcoholics this link may be helpful.

Do you have a story or a confession about drinking? One way to relieve yourself of guilt and shame is to get it off your chest. The web community is not judgmental because everyone's been there. Just write what's in your heart You'll not only be glad that you did, but by sharing, others are helped as well.

Coaching or Recovery Coaching is not therapy, but it works very well to help you get on track or to keep you on the right track.It also compliments all the 12 step programs. Is coaching for you?

Think you may be co-dependent? Try these tests and see.

Opt-in to Powerful Living for free monthly self-help tips.

(Source: Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service, National Institute on Drug Abuse)