1. Treatment for alcoholism and
how it affects women
By: Eileen Spatz
On: 04-20-2015
The disease of alcoholism does not discriminate but takes
particular physical and cognitive tolls on both sexes. Although
women may become addicted faster than men, they have lower
relapse rates after treatment. While women may experience more

2. serious liver damage, their brain matter rebounds faster after
treatment.
Biological differences between men and women dictate the
physiological effects of alcohol on each. A woman’s body has
more fatty tissue than that of a man the same size, thus even if the
same amount, women will experience a higher blood alcohol level
than men. Also, women produce smaller amounts of the enzyme
dehydrogenase, which helps break alcohol down, so this, too, adds
to a higher blood alcohol concentration.
Neurological differences are also important to note. Regarding
brain damage caused by alcohol abuse, both sexes had a reduction
in the white matter. In men the decrease was observed in the
corpus callosum region and in women the reduction was seen in
regions of cortical white matter, which connects it to the gray
matter. This indicates that different brain functions are impaired by
alcoholism based on gender, although both men and women
experience impaired thinking, emotional imbalance and memory
problems.
Women are more apt to present with a co-occurring mental health
disorder compared to men, especially depression. This is
sometimes associated with the fluctuation of hormones in women
that can exacerbate mood disorders when combined with alcohol
abuse, as alcohol is a depressant.
When addressing treatment for alcoholism, it has been reported
that women often avoid seeking treatment for several reasons.
Sociological pressures preclude many women from entering
treatment due to their roles as the primary caretaker of children and
spouses. They hesitate to enter a residential program that would
take them away from those who depend on her.
A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and

3. Alcoholism (NIAAA) looked at gender differences regarding
seeking treatment. Research shows that women are more likely to
seek care in a primary care setting rather than a specialized
treatment program. This is often due to the particular challenges
that exist for women, such as finding a program that offers
childcare and economic barriers.
Female alcoholics share such problems as excessive feelings of
guilt, depression and loneliness, which need to be addressed in the
treatment process in order to rebuild self-esteem and
confidence. A women’s rehabilitation program would focus on
other gender-specific issues including pregnancy and childcare. In
addition, women-specific treatment groups, treatment plans and
female clinicians could foster a more open environment more
conducive to trust and sharing.
It has been found that, at six months after discharge from a
treatment program, women from the all-female recovery groups
relapse less often than women in the co-ed programs. Women
benefit when both the treatment program and the mental health
professionals are focused on women’s issues and specific needs.
- See more at: http://www.sovcal.com/alcohol-addiction-
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