Common Factors Behind Alcoholism In Women

The past decade has witnessed a significant effort being put into studies that attempt to uncover the lid on the possible causes of alcoholism in women. The main reason why these studies are being done is that more and more women are turning to alcohol than men. This is a worrying trend.

While it is not possible to pinpoint the exact pattern of drinking in people, alcoholism, on the other hand, is caused by several factors. Secondly, alcoholism can affect anyone gender, age, body type, ethnicity or personal beliefs notwithstanding.
Listed below are the common factors that contribute to alcoholism.

Environmental Factors

A person’s proximity to an outlet that sells alcohol is likely to drive them to engage in this activity. It is about having a positive outlook on alcohol imbibing when you are very close to a pub.

The mainstream media is also awash with advertisements that are glorying drinking. Drinking is now being portrayed as being cool, fun, acceptable and relaxing. These advertisements have been found to be magnets for women to alcoholism.

Income levels have been cited as another contributing environmental factor. A direct relationship has been noted between the levels of income and local consumption among women. People who are more affluent tend to drink more than those from lower classes. The effects of alcohol is such that the more your disposable income increases, the more you consume.

Psychological Factors

Psychology tries to study the mind of a person. How men and women handle their feelings, anxiety, stress, etc. varies. Women have been known to be poor at handling these feelings, hence they have the inherent risk of falling into the trap of alcoholism. It alcoholism where people tend to run and find solace from the harsh realities of their lives. Women tend to use alcohol to numb their pain.

In the long run, the body will rely on alcohol to maintain its stability.

Biological Factors

Researchers have been able to show the link between biological factors such as physiology, genetics, and alcoholism. There are women who cannot control the urge to consume more alcohol. With time, the brain is wired into repeating the same behavior.

Physiologically, there are certain chemicals within the brain that make women more susceptible to alcohol than men. There are about fifty-one genes in several chromosome regions that are associated with alcohol dependence. These genes may be passed down from one generation to the other increasing their likelihood having of drinking problems.

Social Factors

Social factors such as the family, religion, culture, and work may play a big role in influencing a person’s thinking about drinking. If a person is raised in a family where there is exposure to alcohol, then there is a very possibility of picking the habit.

Peer pressure has always been cited as the biggest contributor to alcoholism among teenage women. The feeling of not belonging to a group or circle of friends can easily make a person dive into this habit.

In conclusion, the more a person drinks the more they increase the chances of having problems that are related to alcohol. This, in turn, leads to alcohol tolerance. It is, therefore, important that each factor is considered in isolation before taking preventive and curative measures.