This disease does not discriminate according to age or ethnic background. Women may drink for different reasons than men. Many times women who abuse alcohol are currently in situations where they are physically, mentally, or sexually abused. Women alcoholics are less obvious than men. Women s symptoms of alcoholism may be less apparent than men s, so doctors and family members often do not recognize the problem.
Men can become involved in increased traffic accidents and violence associated with alcohol use.
Women s alcoholism is shown in more subtle ways such as depression. Women may be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of alcohol use. Because women s bodies have less water volume than men, women experience the effects of alcohol after fewer drinks than men of the same size. Women can develop liver damage in a shorter period of time and after consuming less alcohol than men, because of differences in metabolism. A recent study showed that women alcoholics had greater brain damage than men alcoholics and non-alcoholic women.