Are you just a girl who loves wine? Lately, American women have shown major changes in drinking habits — and the consequences have not all been positive.
Alcoholism is about four times as common among men as it is among women, so women may not be as concerned about drinking as men. But the behavior of women when it comes to alcohol has changed in recent years.
According to the CDC, about half of adult women now drink alcohol. Approximately 13% of adult women admit binge drinking. Of these women, 25% do some binge drinking at least weekly. 25% consume at least six drinks during these episodes — and having four drinks in one day is considered binge drinking for women.
That’s a lot of drinking.
What’s wrong with that?
Women who drink heavily or participate in binge drinking are more likely to have blackouts and accidents. An increasing number of women now end up in the emergency room with alcohol-related problems. One reason is that women have less water in their bodies than men. Since alcohol is stored in the water in our bodies, a woman’s blood alcohol level will be higher than that of a man who drinks the same amount. For this reason, women are also more likely to experience hangovers than men.
Alcohol use increases breast cancer risks for women. It also damages hearts, livers, and brains of both men and women.
Are you happy with your drinking?
Would you like to drink less? Maybe you want to stop drinking entirely. If you want to rethink your relationship with alcohol and experience freedom from cravings for liquor, I can help.
