Of all the factors that play a role in substance abuse, gender is perhaps the most surprising. Men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illegal drugs, and in most age groups, men have higher rates of use or dependence on drugs and alcohol than women. However, women are just as likely as men to become addicted and may be more susceptible to cravings and relapse.
Marijuana impairs spatial memory in women more than it does in men, but men feel the effects of the high more strongly. Among teenagers, boys who smoke marijuana report poor family relationships and problems at school more often than female students who smoke.
Animal studies have shown that females are more sensitive to the rewarding and pain-relieving effects of marijuana’s active ingredient THC. Many of these gender-specific differences have been attributed to the effects of sex hormones. Research in both humans and animals suggests that estrogen might make women more susceptible to these rewarding feelings. Hormonal fluctuation during the menstrual cycle can also impact the effects of and cravings for drugs.
Women also feel the effects of alcohol more than men. They become intoxicated after drinking smaller amounts and achieve higher blood alcohol concentrations than men after drinking the same amount. This is mainly because women have generally smaller body size, less total body water, and a lower concentration of gastric dehydrogenase, an enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol in the stomach.
Women are likely to use certain drugs, such as methamphetamine, for weight control. They are equally or more likely to have misused pharmaceutical drugs as compared to men. Some experts also suggest that women are more likely to drink or use drugs to deal with stress, considering that a majority of women today are employed while still managing upkeep to the house and childcare. Women have death rates 50 to 100 percent higher than men when taking into account suicides, alcohol-related accidents, heart disease, stroke, and liver disease.
Women’s involvement in drug use and the drug trade may be explained in part by decreased economic opportunities and lower political status, especially in less developed countries. When women do become part of criminal gangs and drug trafficking, they are often forced to have nonconsensual sex and are given low-paying, high-risk positions within the organization. Drug mules are disproportionately women and in particular those from ethnic minorities. Because many countries determine criminal consequences of drug possession by the weight and class of the drugs, and drug mules are forced to carry much larger quantities than other traffickers, women receive much harsher legal repercussions.
There is some debate about whether gender-specific treatments are more effective than standard substance abuse treatments. Some data does suggest that women-focused outpatient or residential treatments produce higher rates of treatment completion than traditional programs, but some of this could be because these women are allowed to be accompanied by their children and therefore stay in the program longer.
If you or a loved one need help to quit drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949-438-4504).
