The Troubling Rise in Women’s Binge Drinking (and How to Get Help)
The Troubling Rise in Women’s Binge Drinking (and How to Get Help)
While heavy drinking and binge drinking has traditionally been associated with men (with men being more likely to binge drink than women), there has been a troubling trend with female binge drinking and overall consumption of alcohol—it’s been going up.
But what has led to this increase? Is it slowing down? And what should you do if you’ve found your drinking has increased and isn’t slowing down?
Below is more about the increase in women’s binge drinking, the causes, and what can be done if you find yourself unable to stop.
The Rise in Binge Drinking
The pandemic is potentially linked to a recent rise in female drinking. With that said, trends in women’s binge drinking behavior overall have been going up for a little while now.
As stated in a New York Times article:
“Even before the pandemic began, some Americans were drinking significantly more alcohol than they had in decades past — with damaging consequences. In 2020, researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (N.I.A.A.A.) found that from 1999 through 2017, per capita consumption increased by 8 percent and the number of alcohol-related deaths doubled, many caused by liver disease. The trends are particularly concerning for women: Whereas the number of men who reported any drinking stayed mostly the same, the proportion of women who did so increased 10 percent, and the number of women who reported binge drinking, or consuming roughly four or more drinks in about two hours, increased by 23 percent. (For men, binge drinking is about five or more drinks in that period.) Current dietary guidelines consider moderate drinking to be at most one drink a day for women and two for men…”
The article continues:
“…The most worrisome drinking behavior, as before the pandemic, appears to be among women, who have also borne more of the child-care burden created by school closures. A study published in October in The Journal of Addiction Medicine found that between February and April 2020, women had a greater increase in excessive drinking than men did.”
It doesn’t look like binge drinking is slowing down either. This behavior is particularly troublesome for those that have major responsibilities, like raising children.
Is Help Available?
If you have found your drinking has increased to a worrying level and/or you are not meeting your work, home, and parenting obligations, reach out to Front Door Health. We take a judgment-free approach to treatment and our goal is to ensure you get the help you need.
Front Door Health provides in-home treatment for patients when they need it. We take an evidence-based approach to treatment, and we create custom treatment plans for our patients to increase their chances of success. Our treatment process is client-focused and individualized. This means no group sessions with strangers and no “treatment as usual” approach. You are unique and the treatment plan we create for you is designed to meet you where you are along your journey and help you to reach your recovery goals.
We understand that it can be difficult to put your life on hold and take time off from parenting, work, or school. Our in-home treatment allows patients to continue to meet their school, family, pet, and other obligations while receiving the treatment they deserve. This means you’ll be able to continue to care for your children at home while getting the help you need.
If you would like to learn more about in-home treatment, contact Front Door Health today. We’re happy to answer any questions and provide you with the help you need.
info@frontdoorhealthcenter.com
