Alcoholism is a disease that can affect anyone regardless of age and gender. Although most alcoholics are men, many women are also afflicted by it. The following are the top five facts about women and alcohol addiction.
- Women get intoxicated faster than men with the same amount of alcohol.
- Women who drink alcohol have lower chances of getting pregnant.
- Women alcoholic have higher risk of getting breast cancer.
- Alcohol-related diseases are more prevalent in women.
- Early intervention is the key to successful addiction recovery.
Although the drinker’s body weight plays an important role in the intoxication process, women get drunk faster than men because they have more water in their body resulting in higher alcohol concentration causing them get drunk faster.
There are many negative effects of alcohol on a woman’s body particularly on their reproductive health. Drinking alcohol causes the body to lessen its ability to produce hormones. Other effects include inability to ovulate, have irregular menstruation and even premature menopause.
According to a research conducted in the UK, drinking alcohol increases the risk of the individual to get breast cancer by at least 7%. Also, it’s estimated that 4% of breast cancer cases are linked to alcoholism.
Brain, liver and heart diseases are just some of the negative consequences of alcohol abuse. Although both alcoholic men and women can get these diseases, women have higher susceptibility than men.
Just like with any other addiction, early detection and intervention can greatly help in treating alcoholism on women. If you or someone you know is abusing alcohol, don’t hesitate to ask for help from addiction counselors.