Women and Alcohol Essay

Submitted By vlsilva22
Words: 1008
Pages: 5
Open Document
Women and Alcohol Alcohol can be a health issue for women just like smoking and drugs. It can be a serious disease and an addiction. Alcohol is a disease that affects numerous numbers of people from all over the world from different ages. It has the power to destroy lives break up families and to kill many victims of it as well. It is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States behind tobacco and it kills about 100, 000 deaths a year. The effects of alcohol are stronger in women than in men and women’s bodies react differently to alcohol than men’s bodies. Alcohol has many risk factors, consequences against women, although there are many treatment centers that are available that can help women who are alcoholics. There has been an increase in the number of women who drink alcohol as well as in the amount of alcohol they consume since the past years. There has been a rise in heavy drinking particularly among young women has been reported from a number of countries. “It is estimated that of the 15.1 million alcohol-abusing or alcohol-dependent individuals in the United States, approximately 4.6 million (nearly one-third) are women.” (Alcohol Alert).Not just older women drink but also young girls start drinking at a young age before they are legally allowed to. For example, younger women report higher rates of drinking-related problems than do older women. The most common age for drinking with women is between the ages of 26 and 34 and for those women who are divorced or separated. There are many young girls who attend parties and binge drink. They drink more than five drinks to try to get drunk in a short period of time, because they feel that is the only way they will feel confident and have fun. There are many women who are so irresponsible and are addicted to alcohol and others become addicted because of personal problems in their lives. There are also women who drink while they are pregnant and that is very irresponsible and can have serious harmful consequences on the unborn child. No amount of alcohol consumption is safe during pregnancy. The child can be born with fetal alcohol syndrome which is a set of birth defects that includes growth and mental impairment mentioned in Alcohol a Women’s Health Issue. Women start abusing alcohol when they feel really stressed, sad, lonely, or when going through a divorce. Also Women whose husbands have alcohol problems are more likely to drink themselves and women who have been sexually abused are more likely to drink to excess.
There are many risk factors when consuming too much alcohol that woman may not be aware of. Also women metabolize alcohol differently than men. Research shows that, “women start to have alcohol-related problems at lower drinking levels than men do. One reason is that, on average, women weigh less than men. In addition, alcohol disperses in body water, and pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men do. So after a man and woman of the same weight drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood alcohol concentration will tend to be higher, putting her at greater risk for harm.”(Women and alcohol). That said women get drunk much faster than men do because women and men have different bodies which each metabolize alcohol differently. Hormone levels in women may also make them more at risk to alcohol’s effects. Women may be at risk of alcohol problems if they have been sexually abused in their childhood, or started drinking before age 15. “Results of a large nationwide survey show that more than 40 percent of persons who initiated drinking before age 15 were diagnosed as alcohol dependent at some point in their lives.” (Alcohol Alert) Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are serious for
Show More

Related Documents: Women and Alcohol Essay

Drug and Alcohol Usage Essay

Up to 90 of alcohol 14 years and over have tried alcohol and 50% of female and 70% males use it regularly. 70% of Australians have tried tobacco, 40% cannabis and 2% amphetamine. 2. 18 years in Australia, 20 NZ, 21 USA. 3. Alcohol is responsible of drug related death in this age group followed by tobacco. 4.Alcohol is a depressant and slows the brain and reactions down. 5. Drinking to much alcohol can resolve in alcohol overdose, fighting and vomiting. 6. Binge drinking leads to a greater…

Words 509 - Pages 3

Prohibition In The 1920's

Volstead Act known as the National Prohibition Act was enacted, making all the beverages “intoxicating” illegal if they contain more than 0.5 percent alcohol. They were several reasons why they did this amendment, such as the contribution of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League. Americans enjoyed a drink, they loved the alcohol, but not all Americans had the same view about alcoholic beverages. For Americans, the Prohibition era’s was difficult “turned millions of law-abiding…

Words 1445 - Pages 6

Alcohol Facts (Australia) Essay

Australians 14 years or over have tried alcohol and about 50% females and 70% of males use it regularly. About 70% of Australians have tried tobacco, 40% cannabis and 2% amphetamine. In Australia it is 18, in New Zealand its 20 and in America it is 21 Alcohol was responsible for 62% drug related deaths in this age group, followed by tobacco Alcohol is a depressant and slows the brain and reactions down. Drinking too much alcohol can result in Alcohol overdose, fighting and vomiting.…

Words 543 - Pages 3

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

HISTORY AND PREVALENCE Fetal Alcohol Syndrome The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is one of the leading preventable causes of birth defects and childhood disabilities in the United States.1 The adverse effects associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) range from growth deficiency, brain structure and function anomalies, and abnormalities of the head and face.2 It is estimated that in 1992 the cost of treating FAS-affected infants, children, and adults was over $1.9 billion.3 The lifetime…

Words 1063 - Pages 5

Kimora Vs Akeno

could not only get addicted, but also ruin one’s life? This is known as alcohol. I’ve heard many stories of how alcohol affects the lives of many people, and I also know people who are in battle, a battle known as “them vs. alcohol,” and in the end, alcohol always ends up at the finish line. The purpose of this paper is to educate one about the possible outcomes and complications one may experience in situations where alcohol is involved. First, Kimora and Akeno end up having a game night that involves…

Words 811 - Pages 4

Essay about Alcohol: Alcohol Effects Woman

cope with today is the addiction of drugs and alcohol. Alcohol is the most lethal drug causing injuries, health problems and even deaths to people worldwide. In today's modern society alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse has become one of the most complex, life-threatening issues. Most depressed individuals usually indulge themselves in bars or pubs with their alcohols to escape from their stressful life. It has become increasingly alarming how alcohol does not only attract the adults, but also teenagers…

Words 994 - Pages 4

Essay on HIST 151 Assignment 2

Australian Society over the time? How has Alcohol affected the service men and army in general? How has Alcohol influenced the Native people of Australia? These questions have led to many claims about where this trend really came from. But these questions also lead to questions on, how do women fit into this role and what depiction do we have of women in pubs and being in posters advertising alcohol. Many assumptions have been made, particularly by women who see this as destroying domestic security…

Words 2915 - Pages 12

Date Rape Drugs Analysis

claims that the cause for this is women not being careful around men. However, feminist like Susan Jacoby, author of “Common Decency”, claims that is more of a social cause. According to research the causes are women not being self-aware, the media and the leading cause being alcohol and drug use. A solution to this problem would be to further educate young men and women on exactly what date rape is and how it can be prevented. Women, specifically college women, are not being self-aware of the situations…

Words 1934 - Pages 8

Supporting the unique child Essay

prevalence of his uniqueness and compare this to other commonly diagnosed issues. Finally I will make recommendations on how to best support the child within his setting. Case Study Harry is 7 years 6months old and has been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Harry is a looked after child and lives with foster parents. It is unknown exactly when Harry was diagnosed with FAS but we do know that it was prior to him being placed with his current foster parents at age 4. Harry attends a mainstream…

Words 1836 - Pages 8

Temperance Movement Research Paper

temperance movement. Across America, preachers advocated for the complete abstinence of alcohol. In addition, many members of the clergy linked alcohol with perdition. Therefore, it was a sin to consume alcoholic beverages. Moreover, priests would deliver terrifying sermons on the spiritual consequences of consuming alcohol striking fear on their congregations. Simultaneously, physicians at that time concluded that alcohol was responsible for many human illnesses. For example, insanity, indigestion, arthritis…

Words 884 - Pages 4