The Different Affects of Drug Abuse Among Genders

These days there are a number of social issues in the community, such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is rampant in today’s society, Australian Drug Foundation states that, “Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive, or mood-changing, recreational drug in Australia.”(Healey, 2002, p. 11). Underage drinking and binge drinking are some of the problems associated with alcohol abuse.

Based on a research finding, some individuals indicate that when they are sober and others drink around them, it was considered boring (Seaman& Ikegwuonu , 2010, p.21). It is clear that beverages have become an activity as well as apart of socialisation. Its been described as a social facilitator during interaction and when establishing a connection with others. Data explores that peer group activity has lead to a strong connection of peer experience aligned with intoxication Seaman& Ikegwuonu (2010,p.22). This elaborates the effect of drunkenness. (Borsari & Carey 2001, p.392) stated alcohol played a vital role whether its in college , social functions or peer interactions. Alcohol being referred to as an act of rebellion has today been acknowledged as something ‘normal’ in society. (Pettigrew & Donovan, 2003). Alcohol has now been considered as a social fabric that changes ones game. Gender is a general issue where men are known to drink more than females. Why does this occur?. To begin with, the term hegemonic masculinity outlines the dominant form of a heterosexual in the western world (Germov & Poole,2011, p.241). Men are seemed to be

Substance abuse is a very widely known public epidemic in today's society. Many people are unfortunately plagued by this issue. According to Emedicinehealth.com (2012), “People abuse substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs for varied and complicated reasons, but it is clear that our society pays a significant cost,” (para. 1). People that are affected by substance abuse includes a very different range of people. Many that abuse the substances end up having health-related problems which in turn increases the need for health care. Other people that are affected by substance abuse are the family members and friends of the abusers because they have to deal with the person abusing the substances. Things that can be abused are

Young women are finally drinking and abusing alcohol at the same rate as men. Men drink beer and hard liquor while women drink wine and delicate cocktails some of the logic behind these ideas is based on the fact that men and Women’s bodies process alcohol at different rates but there is

Alcoholism is a problem experienced in many societies and covers issues associated with intake of alcohol (Schneider, 1978). In most cases, it is used to refer to addictive and uncontrolled use or abuse of alcohol such that the health, relationships and social status of a person is eroded. Due to its negative effects on users, it is considered as a bad practice in the society. Alcoholism is contributed by many social issues concerning users as well as society and is largely accepted as a social deviance behavior. However, according to Schneider (1992), deviant drinking has been

The rising drug and alcohol problem proves to be an issue both locally and nationally, with a lasting detrimental impact on the individual and society as a whole. A health disparity report from Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 reports, “In 2011, Wisconsin ranked first in the nation for both heavy drinking and binge drinking among adults” (Wisconsin Department of Health Services, slide 14). Drug and alcohol abuse are a concern to this population due to the detrimental impacts to both the individual and the surrounding individuals. For instance, alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol dependence, and cause anomalies to the fetus if the mother drinks excessively during her pregnancy. Overall, those who choose to abuse drugs and alcohol

“Alcohol is a manipulative bitch. If she was a person, I think she’d be a telemarketer or a used-car sales women who could persuade you to do just about anything(188)” ,Koren Zailckas once said in her New York Times best selling novel, Smashed: Story of a drunken girlhood, based society vs. humans. Society has captivated us with a stereotype image of who we should be; Therefore a high average of teens, seek alcoholism or drug abuse to fill the void of imperfection, such as in the case of Zailckas.

3. Examine the gender differences in alcohol/drug consumption found by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). Women are more likely to abuse substances in order to lose weight, relieves stress or bordom, improve mood, reduce inhibitions, self medicate depression, increase confidence.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates substance abuse, whether it is smoking, alcohol abuse or illicit drugs, costs the nation over 700 billion dollars annually, (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2015). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that, ” In the United States, 6.6% of persons aged 12 or older (an estimated 17.3 million individuals) in 2013 were dependent on or abused alcohol within the year prior to being surveyed”. Out of that 6.6% men had a higher rate of dependence or abuse with 8.7% being male and 4.6% being female. In the same survey it

The cultural norms in which one has been brought up also play a major role in how one develops and one’s behavior towards alcohol abuse.

Alcohol dependence has a much more pronounced medical effect on women than on men. Medical problems

This goes back to the theory that most women turn to substances for self-medicating purposes due to unresolved traumas or events in their lives. Women’s addiction is also different because women not only self-medicate because of traumatic events, but also to function as a working mother/woman in a fast paced world. According to, “The DASIS Report (May 2005)” women were less likely than men to detoxify. One reason is because they are in denial and try to rationalize their substance abuse. So they are less likely to seek help unless it is court ordered because children were involved. SAMSHA, stated that as of 2008, 1/3 of the population being treated for substance abuse were women. According to SAMSHA’s November/December 2008 Newsletter, 6.9 million women are not receiving treatment. Approximately, 94% feel they do not need treatment. This has been a drastic increase over the past 10years. SAMSHA also revealed that women have more barriers when seeking treatment such as, young children, poverty, low-income, stigmatization and have the inability to pay for treatment. This goes back to pay in-equality and the Equal Rights Amendment.

Drug and substance abuse has been known to be a major risk factor for HIV/AIDS in the world. According to reports by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), there are an estimated 1 million people who are living with HIV/AIDS in the US and about a third of these cases are directly and indirectly linked to some kind of drug abuse ADDIN EN.CITE National Institute on Drug Abuse2005823(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005)82382312National Institute on Drug Abuse,Drug abuse is a significant risk factor for HIV/AIDS in the U.S.2012March 5th2005http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/topics-in-brief/linked-epidemics-drug-abuse-hivaids( HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_7" o "National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005 #823" National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2005). Research has also shown that of four out of 10 AIDS related deaths in the US are related to drug abuse ADDIN EN.CITE Macklin2011825(Macklin, 2011)82582517Macklin, RuthEthical challenges in HIV microbicide research: What protections do women need?International Journal of Feminist Approaches to BioethicsInternational Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics124-143422011Indiana University Press19374585http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/intjfemappbio.4.2.124( HYPERLINK l "_ENREF_5" o "Macklin, 2011 #825" Macklin, 2011). This has led to NIDA referring to drugs and substance abuse and HIV/AIDS as linked epidemics and has opened avenues of research in the two epidemics ADDIN EN.CITE

Along with gender differences, other factors that influence the addiction of alcohol amongst women include genetics, neuropsychology, and environment. The environmental factor plays a big role in alcohol addiction amongst women, especially in the family context. Holdcraft and Iacono wrote in an article, “Women have been found to have more drinking-related familial consequences while men suffer more adverse social, occupational, legal and violence-related consequences” (pp. 1026). Women of alcohol addiction have developed this disease more than not through some type of influence by family.

Throughout history, society has engaged in taking substances such as alcohol, that alter our physical being or our psychological state of mind. There are many experiences and pressures that force people to feel like they have to drink in order to cope with life, but for many alcohol is a part of everyday life, just like any other beverage. Alcohol is introduced to us in many ways, through our family, television, movies, and friends’. These “sociocultural variants are at least as important as physiological and psychological variants when we are trying to understand the interrelations of alcohol and human behavior”#. How we perceive drinking and continue drinking can be determined by the drinking habits we see, either by who we drink with,