Overview of Alcohol Addiction

Alcoholism is a popular term for two disorders: alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. It is usually the repeated use of alcohol triggered by repeated life events or problems of a person. Both disorders can have adverse consequences affecting health and having a great impact on society.

Cause and effect

Alcohol disorders often root from several problems encountered by an individual. Depression, marital relationship or dysfunctional family ties are most common cause of alcoholism. Child abuse and unemployment are also trigger factors. Alcoholism contributes to other social problems including suicide, violent crimes, premature deaths, less work productivity and mostly injury.

Alcohol has been a primary contributing factor especially in vehicular accidents. Fifty percent of these accidents have been caused by alcohol. A hundred thousand deaths occur each year due to the effects of alcohol.

The difference

Substance use differs from man to woman. Not only are they different biologically, the view of society also differs between sex when it comes to alcohol addiction. Drinking behavior of a woman differs with her age, marital status and life role. A woman’s drinking resembles that of a parent, siblings, close friends or even the husband’s.

Reasons or Factors

As mentioned above, the most common factor why men and women engage in alcohol addiction is because of family dysfunction or relationship issues. Women tend to adopt the addiction from parents or spouses. Although both sexes attribute their drinking to stress, women usually adds a traumatic event as a reason for drinking.

Consumption

Obviously, women typically consume less alcohol than men and less likely to drink alcohol daily.  Men are more resistant to toxic effect of alcohol than women.

Health Risks
 
Women are more prone to health risks when it comes to alcohol addiction. They face greater health risks than their male counterparts. According to new studies, women who drink to excess experience more brain damage, affective mood, memory loss and long-term severe effects than men. Women continue to be of higher risk than men for serious medical consequences of alcohol use including liver, brain and heart damage. Men however, may suffer from low sperm counts or infertility.
 
Societal and Personal Response

Women suffer more social disapproval than men from alcohol use. They are more stigmatized when associated with alcoholism. Disruptions in family life of a woman are most likely to occur that more often results to divorce or separation while disruptions for men are seen in job area.

Alcoholic women generally feel more guilty, depress and anxious than men with alcoholism.

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