Women and Substance Abuse - 2083 Words

Women and substance abuse The Abuse of Alcohol Substance use disorders are complicated illnesses that present unique threats to women s health. Medical research is showing that women who abuse alcohol, tobacco and other drugs may develop addictions and substance-related health problems faster than men. Alcohol consumption is most common among women between the ages of 26 and 34 and women who are divorced or separated. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines a light drinker as one who drinks about 1 to 13 drinks a month; a moderate drinker as one who drinks about 4 to 14 drinks a week; and a heavier drinker as one who has more than two drinks a day. Women are more vulnerable to alcohol-related organ damage,†¦show more content†¦Hormonal fluctuations in women may affect how alcohol is metabolized. Some women feel the effects of alcohol more quickly or strongly when they drink at certain times during their cycle. Post-menopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) h ave higher blood alcohol levels when they drink. Alcohol affects almost every organ in a woman s body. Serious health problems associated with excessive alcohol use includes brain damage, liver disease, high blood pressure, other forms of heart disease, malnutrition, anemia, heavy menstrual flow, irregular cycles, or premenstrual pain, premature menopause, osteoporosis, diabetes, circulation problems. If condition is worse the woman is more likely to end up in a coma. When a woman ends up in a coma they are in a somewhat like anesthesia or deep sleep, from which they cannot be aroused. Any person in a deep coma lacks even the most primitive responses, such as a response to pain. Alcohol intoxication can make a person comatose when the blood alcohol level exceeds 0.2 percent. Binge drinking is the consumption of four or more drinks at one time. It s most common among women between the ages of 18 to 25. Drinking is more prevalent among Caucasian women than other ethnic/racial gr oups, although African-American women are more likely to drink heavily. It is binge drinking, as opposed to drinking in general, that causes most of the alcohol-associated harm occurring on our campuses andShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse Counselor : Women Essay1142 Words   |  5 PagesIn my career as a substance abuse counselor I met this amazing women. To look at her she appeared to be beaten and broken down by the choices that she made in life. She was a heroin addict, prostitute, daughter of a broken home, mother to a child she abandoned, mother to a child that was conceived by rape, and a sex trafficking victim. In the time I counseled her, she told me many things. However, the one thing that stuck out was the time that she prostituted herself and ended up chained to a radiatorRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse On Pregnant Women Essay1133 Words   |  5 Pagesforever. 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