Women drinking more?

[Wave85]

Has anyone noticed that women seem to be drinking much more in general than they had in the past? The stereotype alcoholic was male when I was growing up, but I am running into many more females with drinking problems these days than I ever used to. Many are good friends who feel overwhelmed and are "self-medicating."

 

[Mercurygirl]

Wait for it ...

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Jesus fucking christ.

 

[1dirtykitty]

*sips a post work glass of Pinot....
Huh? Nawwwwwwww

But on a more serious note, I don't think it's happening any more or any less than it ever has. I think social media and the age of tech is probably only making it more apparent.

Than again, many women are now heads or households and work full time to provide for their family's too. There's probably a lot more stress to deal with. Wow... maybe we are drinking more than we used too.

*downs more Pinot

 

[Wave85]

Jesus fucking christ.

@Tattooed Goddess this is not intended as any sort of slam on women - if anything, I am suggesting that there is something fucked up with society that I am dealing with this with lots of friends right now and it seems new to me

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

Maybe you are picking the wrong friends. I work with a young diabetic alcoholic. She can drink more than anyone I know. She barely even feels anything buzzy after 7 long Island iced teas.

I found this out after inviting her for a drink after work. I straight up asked her if she should be drinking with diabetes. She honestly said she shouldn't be. I can't control her life. I am not her therapist. You know how I handled it? I decided I was not going to go out with her again for drinks. I'm not going to help her self destruct.

People become alcoholic for various reasons. There is no gender preference when it comes to self destructive behaviors or addictions. Assuming there is because you happen to know more women who have this issue in their life does not reflect the statistics.

Maybe you should ask yourself why you are attracting these types.

 

[Wave85]

Maybe you are picking the wrong friends. I work with a young diabetic alcoholic. She can drink more than anyone I know. She barely even feels anything buzzy after 7 long Island iced teas.

I found this out after inviting her for a drink after work. I straight up asked her if she should be drinking with diabetes. She honestly said she shouldn't be. I can't control her life. I am not her therapist. You know how I handled it? I decided I was not going to go out with her again for drinks. I'm not going to help her self destruct.

People become alcoholic for various reasons. There is no gender preference when it comes to self destructive behaviors or addictions. Assuming there is because you happen to know more women who have this issue in their life does not reflect the statistics.

Maybe you should ask yourself why you are attracting these types.

I am not attracting them TG - I have met most of them simply because I live near them and so they are part of an expanding geographic social circle. The vast majority of my friends - men and women - have no drinking or other addiction problems.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

What do you consider to be excessive when it comes to drinking? If you asked my Dad, he would say 2 beers. If you asked one of my wine loving friends, a bottle of wine after a stressful day at work would not be considered excessive.

 

[Wave85]

What do you consider to be excessive when it comes to drinking? If you asked my Dad, he would say 2 beers. If you asked one of my wone loving friends, a bottle of wine after a stressful day at work would not be considered excessive.

Over two bottles of wine (or about 8 drinks) per day is definitely excessive and what I am referring to here. Medically I am sure that excessive is much less than that but not what I am talking about.

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

For centuries women have had many of the same issues that men do with coping mechanisms and addictions. Women were expected to not show their issues. A man in stress was taken far more seriously than a woman in stress. We've been expected to hide our issues.

Did you know for a long time in history women weren't allowed to drink? In the 1920s flappers were the first ones to be brave enough to drink out in public, around men at that.

 

[Wave85]

For centuries women have had many of the same issues that men do with coping mechanisms and addictions. Women were expected to not show their issues. A man in stress was taken far more seriously than a woman in stress. We've been expected to hide our issues.

Did you know for a long time in history women weren't allowed to drink? In the 1920s flappers were the first ones to be brave enough to drink out in public, around men at that.

I completely agree with this TG - it's actually the discussion I was hoping this post would lead to

 

[rtg]

Like TG, I don't think it's any more prevalent between men and women. Maybe it's just more noticeable among women now because of historical issues as TG mentioned.

I rarely drink these days. I might get drunk once a year. Other than that I don't mind a beer on a hot day or when catching up with a friend. Or a wine every now and then. But it's typical that I would only have one drink every two weeks... if that. And I don't associate with people who are heavy drinkers or even ppl who drink every day. Party because they judge me for not drinking which I think is just ludicrous, and also because I don't think it's healthy.

I actually get so tired of people thinking that I have to justify why I don't like drinking... as though there is something wrong with me. I just don't like the taste the alcohol (except for some beers) and it makes me feel sick most of the time after a couple of drinks. But I shouldn't even have to explain it. Sorry for going off topic, just wanted to throw in some perspective from the other side.

 

[C41ara]

Stupid obvious answer: there is a big difference between drink and get drunk.

As said above, I just think this fact has become more evident cause of the social network and the stupid need to post every photo of every party at every night.

 

[Wave85]

Stupid obvious answer: there is a big difference between drink and get drunk.

As said above, I just think this fact has become more evident cause of the social network and the stupid need to post every photo of every party at every night.

I completely agree with you @C41ara - I also think TG makes the point that was really why I started the thread - "Women were expected to not show their issues. A man in stress was taken far more seriously than a woman in stress. We've been expected to hide our issues." I'm not really talking about social drinking as much as I am talking about alcoholism. The several women that I know that led me to post this, drink at least 8 drinks per day.

 

[C41ara]

I completely agree with you @C41ara - I also think TG makes the point that was really why I started the thread - "Women were expected to not show their issues. A man in stress was taken far more seriously than a woman in stress. We've been expected to hide our issues." I'm not really talking about social drinking as much as I am talking about alcoholism. The several women that I know that led me to post this, drink at least 8 drinks per day.

Ok, maybe 8 drinks per day, EVERY day is alcoholism. But in this case we need another distinction: i think someone don't drink at that level to hide an issue, but drinking at that level IS the issue whatever the reason is.

 

[Wave85]

Ok, maybe 8 drinks per day, EVERY day is alcoholism. But in this case we need another distinction: i think someone don't drink at that level to hide an issue, but drinking at that level IS the issue whatever the reason is.

Couldn't agree more