Alcohol is one of the oldest abused substances in the history of mankind. Regular use of alcohol invariably leads to physical and mental dependence and various social and health related problems. Once somebody becomes habituated to alcohol, he/she finds it difficult to give up.
Alcohol is one of the oldest abused substances in the history of mankind. Regular use of alcohol invariably leads to physical and mental dependence and various social and health related problems. Once somebody becomes habituated to alcohol, he/she finds it difficult to give up.
Alcohol is harmful for the overall health for all people, but it harms women more than men, as their body is not able to metabolize it as efficiently. It is said that 70 per cent of women pick the habit of drinking alcohol from their homes. It starts when some family member/ members like the father or husband drinks alcohol at home regularly.
Some women start drinking under peer pressure. Some consider drinking alcohol as a mark of being modern or liberated. Few women take up this habit under depression or stress due to any problem. They find alcohol as an escape from their misery. Whatever the reason for drinking, once they start drinking; they find it difficult to give it up after sometime. They also start suffering from the health hazards of alcohol.
Liver toxicity due to alcohol occurs early in women and in more severe form. Toxicity to the brain, blood vessels and peripheral nerves also occurs in more severe form in women as compared to men. Malnutrition induced by alcohol is also more severe in women. Studies have shown that women who drink alcohol are more prone to develop breast cancer. Alcohol disrupts the hormonal system in women causing irregular menstruation. This can result in infertility which is a big stigma. If one becomes pregnant, there is a high risk of the baby being born underweight or with birth defects.
There are other hazards of alcohol in women. Women are known to suffer from physical injury and rape under the influence of alcohol. Sometimes unscrupulous people take advantage of their inebriated state and involve them in sexual activity. Later when the effect of alcohol wears off, these women sadly realize that they have lost their dignity and honour. Unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are yet another consequence of alcoholism in women.
Alcoholic women are known to be apathetic towards their family. Extreme cases are seen where women have abandoned their families for the sake of alcohol. It has been said that if a man drinks, he suffers alone, but in case it’s a woman drinking, the entire family suffers. In some cases they are shunted out of homes due to this habit. In any manner, if separated from their families, these women start drinking more due to the loneliness they face and suffer more as a consequence.
In spite of developing problems, alcoholics among women also find it difficult to quit, because of the withdrawal syndrome. Once the body becomes physically habituated to alcohol, a person suffers from restlessness, tremors, hallucinations and agitation if the body is deprived of it for more than 12 hours. Women develop dependence on alcohol early as compared to men and hence have more severe withdrawal syndrome. To overcome this they drink more alcohol and become sicker.
Thus considering the severe harmful effects of alcohol in women, it is desirable that if any lady has started to drink, this habit should be nipped in the bud. If she is already an alcoholic, she needs mental, physical and nutritional support to help overcome this habit. In advanced cases, help can be taken from professional counsellors and alcohol de-addiction centers.
When women get off alcohol, they need to be kept busy and under observation to prevent relapse of the habit.
Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital