In 2005, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, reported that males met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse at twice the rate of females. Additionally, men binge drink twice as often as women and abuse alcohol heavily at least threes times as much. No matter how wide the gap between men and women, when it comes to alcohol abuse, women will never handle alcohol the same as a man.
Biology
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that drinking in moderation for males is defined as having no more than two drinks per day and for women one drink. Even if two people--a man and a woman--are the same age, height and weight, women are affected by alcohol more quickly than men, according to David J. Hanson, Ph.D, from the State University of New York at Potsdam. Alcohol cannot be absorbed by fat, and women have a higher proportion of body fat than men. Women metabolize alcohol more quickly and their bodies absorb 30 percent more alcohol than men. In fact, men's bodies are better equipped to break down alcohol before it even hits the bloodstream.
Risks
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 13 percent of American women have more than seven drinks per week. Because women's bodies have less water than men's, women's brain and other organs absorb a greater amount of alcohol in less time and with smaller amounts. After having only one drink on an empty stomach, the NIAAA explains, the risk for a woman being killed in a single-vehicle crash is increased.
Safety
The NIAAA reports that heavy drinking increases a woman's risk of becoming a victim of violence and sexual assault. While the act of drinking will not cause you to become a victim, drinking does make it easier to be victimized, says Hanson. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and you may find yourself in situations that you would not get into if you were sober. In fact, one criterion for diagnosing an alcohol problem, according to the NIAAA, is drinking in situations that are physically dangerous or continued drinking even after alcohol has gotten you into dangerous situations.
Health
The National Institutes of Health reports that 5.3 American women consume alcohol in a way that is a threat to their lives. Women are more likely than men to develop liver inflammation and die from cirrhosis. Women are more at risk for experiencing loss of mental functioning and changes in the brain from alcohol abuse. And even though women drink less over their lifetimes compared to men, they are at higher risk for developing alcohol-related cardiovascular disease.
Abusive Drinking
The NIAAA reports that women who struggle with close relationships tend to drink more compared to other women. Single women who have never been married, even if they live with a partner, or are separated or divorced, drink more heavily than married women. Females who were victims of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to develop a drinking problem.
