Women still struggle with double standards. Chemical use is more acceptable behavior for men, but conflicts with society's role of women. Women, more often than men, lack education and job skills due to family and household responsibilities. Meaningful work is a key to recovery. Women may find it difficult to enter the workforce.
Women metabolize alcohol at different rates at different times in their menstrual cycles.
Women may intoxicate faster right before their periods. Taking birth control pills may also effect metabolism. Women's physiology is different. The female body has higher body fat and lower fluids than males. At the same body weight, the same amount of alcohol in a woman's body is more concentrated which heightens alcohol's effect.