But we do know women get liver damage at a much lower threshold than men. For women, a safe level of alcohol consumption is no more than one drink a day, and not more than three drinks on any one occasion. The brain, liver and ovaries can all be damaged at relatively low alcohol levels in women. Also, for the same amount of alcohol, women have a higher blood alcohol content than men. There's no question that for us, liquor is quicker.
Women also tend to start using substances and come into treatment later than do men.
There is far more mortality from drinking and driving than from drinking during pregnancy, she added. Yet because of the heavy censure of women who drink during pregnancy, pregnant women who are alcoholic fear that censure and don't get treatment. Also, alcohol and drugs strongly affect hormonal balances in women. They have a greater chance of becoming depressed either as a consequence of addiction or of something that exists alongside addiction. Geller added that the suicide rate in addicted women is three to four times that of nonaddicted women.