Binge-Drinking Among Women Is Up: Study

People born after the World War II era -- especially women -- are more likely than their ancestors to binge drink and develop alcohol disorders, according to a new review of studies.

The analysis of 31 studies revealed that "problem drinking among young women is still on the rise," study researcher Richard A. Grucza, an epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine, said in a statement. And because the rates of binge drinking are rising among women, so are the risks of alcohol-related problems.

The review, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, also showed that the binge-drinking gap between men and women is shrinking.

WebMD talked to addiction therapist Paul Leslie Hokemeyer, Ph.D., to find why the trend seems to fit within this post-WWII time frame.

"After World War II, the role of women changed. More women entered the work force, but they were also expected to be good mothers and wives," Hokemeyer told WebMD. To deal with the extra pressures, some women "latched hold of alcohol as a coping mechanism because it is readily available and socially acceptable."

However, this binge drinking trend did not translate over to western Europe or Australia, PsychCentral reported. That could be because the United States generally has more non-drinkers than those countries, though the number of non-drinkers is getting smaller.

Women who are addicted to alcohol have extra health risks, including alcohol poisoning, cirrhosis, cancer and being the victims of violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women who are dependent on alcohol wait longer before having kids, according to a recent study. Pregnant women who drink alcohol also put a risk on their children of developing fetal alcohol syndrome.

Women who binge drink could also risk their bladder rupturing, ABC News reported.

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Comments

[Lane Campbell]

01:12 AM on 09/21/2011

Yup, in the name of "equality" the wymyn are picking up all the vices that used to be attributable mostly to men. This is progress?

[Wesley Norris]

10:42 PM on 09/20/2011

methadone is just another drug to get hooked on, I know from battle with herion.it a government drug that is hell to detox off of.the 12 steps are the powerful thing that has worked since the early 1930's.14 yrs later , still sober and very happy.Our Creator has power beyond anything here on here.We have many Drs but just one who has all power.its free and worth any amount of $$

[LXIX WITHU]

06:59 PM on 09/20/2011

I'll drink to that!

[timant2007]

11:20 PM on 09/20/2011

haha, I agree.

[Inspiringangela]

06:56 PM on 09/20/2011

Geez, we try to make every freakin' thing a disease. Binge drinking is a form of alcoholism? It used to be that somebody would go on a tear, or go out, let loose and get liquored up. The next day they paid the devil his dues, but then they didn't drink for awhile and were responsible as usual. We have turned going out and having a rip-roaring good time a disease! According to "experts," if a woman is only a social drinker or has a glass of wine once in awhile, but gets schnockered for a couple of days twice a year, she is a diseased alcoholic who suffers from bouts of binge drinking. I say people who go out once in awhile with friends and have a rootin', tootin' time are more healthy than those who want to, but don't.

[loveis22984]

05:34 PM on 09/20/2011

I am a binge drinker, i love to get drunk with friends, love it. I don't drink often though, 4 times a year maybe. I believe that binge drinkers wait longer to have children. you can not be drunk all the time if you have children, you have to pick one or the other.

[RobTheBl0gger2]

04:38 PM on 09/20/2011

Just like the amount of women who smoke has jumped up as well. Smoking and getting drunk are not a turn on.

[cesarvis]

04:34 PM on 09/20/2011

women who binge drink wait longer to have children.....I find this very hard to believe. I would be more willing to believe that in their druken state they have more children earlier and more frequently.....perhaps they meant planned vs. accidental?

[tenaclark]

03:29 PM on 09/20/2011

Dumb!

[orangekitty]

03:24 PM on 09/20/2011

Damn, they caught me.

[Dan Moore]

02:43 PM on 09/20/2011

Sooo...the women are starting to catch up to the men in their binge drinking? I just chalk that up to some more equality right there!

[Your Momma]

02:33 PM on 09/20/2011

More women binge drinking? No....Tell me it aint so.....Now wheres my Girls Gone Wild DVD?

[smp276dp]

10:42 AM on 09/20/2011

In my opinion this has been going on for a very long time. I mean going back decades. Going out to bars or dancing I have seen this since the mid 70's. This was long over due. I am wondering if society had tried to keep it secret?

[neocom43]

09:40 AM on 09/20/2011

Not to be politically incorrect, but these are the same women who will cry, whine and sob when they are sexually assaulted. No, I am not condoning sexual assaults, but when you put yourself in precarious situations bad things happen.

[mass maritimer]

02:18 PM on 09/20/2011

I admit I can too be quite the binge drinker. I picked up the bad habit in the NAVY....I agree 'when you put yourself in precarious situations bad things happen. ' 100% but do not necessarily equate binge drinking with putting yourself in a precarious situation.

I only go pubbing with my boyfriend and our close friends who are a protective lot......

[bobnpath]

08:01 AM on 09/20/2011

for 30 years women have been "manning up"...wanting men's work and men's pay..it is not all gravy..it comes with higher heart attack rates, higher cancer rates and increased stress which adds to alcohol/drug self-medicating issues. "you've come a long way baby" ??