Women are at a high risk of becoming addicted and suffering the effects of alcohol and drug abuse following the pandemic, according to recent reports, with the US National Institutes of Health found that women are especially sensitive to the effects of alcohol, and many problems could occur sooner as a result.
Over the past 12 months, more and more women, and people in general, have entered rehab centers looking to go through an alcohol or drug detox to get their lives back on track. Studies have shown that women are more susceptible to alcohol-related brain damage and even increase breast cancer risk by up to 9% just by having one drink per day.
The number of women abusing alcohol over the last few years has significantly increased, largely down to being used as a coping mechanism. It’s been a growing problem since the birth of the pandemic, and with further economic and political problems escalating worldwide, it’s shown no signs of slowing down.
Studies have found a 14% increase in “drinking days” since the pandemic, while worryingly, a 41% rise in binge drinking among women.
Even before the pandemic, this number was growing, with Dr. Leena Mittal, chief of women’s mental health at a hospital in Boston, USA, highlighting “mom wine culture” as one of the key reasons for this.
Television and modern culture have played a large part in that, and it was beginning to normalize and glorify drinking even before the pandemic.
However, the COVID crisis only accelerated that as people looked to cope with the loss of jobs, the stress of the pandemic, and everything else that came with that.
What that’s led to is an increase of around 15% on liver transplant waiting lists, as well as more young women drinking alone, leading to severe health problems in later life, alongside battles with addiction.
There is now a real emergency for medical professionals worldwide to try and help fix this problem. Addiction can only be treated with therapy and, ultimately, strong will. However, researchers are working hard to try and find drugs that can reduce cravings and, in turn, people drinking heavily to put a stop to the crisis and get people’s lives back on track.
There’s a long road to go, though, and millions worldwide are waiting with bated breath for something to happen.
