Drink culture - Women add worrying new element
Typically, binge drinking involves taking six or more drinks in a session but, according to a leading specialist operating at the coal face of this growing crisis, the women who seek residential treatment for alcohol problems generally exceed that level.
What is most alarming is the marked shift in the old trend where men tended to outnumber women with alcohol problems by a ratio of two-to-one.
A disturbing development witnessed over the past six months shows this pattern is undergoing a massive shift. According to Stephen Rowen, clinical director of the Rutland Centre, a persistent trend is emerging of women presenting for alcohol treatment in ever increasing numbers.
So acute is the problem that women outnumber men by a two-to-one ratio, a development which has major social implications.
Having closed the male-female gap in most areas of life, it seems alcohol consumption is the latest bridge to be crossed. The stark reality is that instead of men drinking less, women are drinking more.
In addition to psychological difficulties, this trend poses a serious health threat since women do not metabolise alcohol as efficiently as men, primarily because of their lower body mass.
Just why binge drinking among women is exploding is a matter of conjecture. It could stem from a variety of factors ranging from low self-esteem to alcohol dependency in the history of a family, peer pressure, stress, or greater prosperity.
Whatever the explanation, it is becoming a major problem. From his experience in treating addicts, Mr Rowen believes the affect of alcohol on women is more destructive than on men.
Over the past 17 years, the consumption of alcohol in Ireland has increased by around 50%. Invariably, people perceive it as a way to escape and achieve relief from personal problems. What most people are saying, according to the clinical director, is that ‘they can’t live this way any more’. So they drink.
In addition to alcohol dependency, the Rutland Centre deals with people who are addicted to drugs, food and gambling, the latter emerging as one of the fastest growing problems facing society.
Besides drinking more spirits, particularly alcopops and vodka, women are also consuming more wine. Indeed, since 1990 there has been a whopping 300% increase in the consumption of wine in Ireland.
According to Mr Rowen, female drinkers tend to be middle-aged rather than young, mainly in their 40s, ranging across a spectrum from professional career women to housewives. Loneliness is a growing dimension of this tragic scenario.
With Irish teenagers already ranked among the worst binge drinkers in Europe, according to a recent study of schools in 35 countries, the long-term outlook is depressing.
The horrific carnage on our roads and the spectres of domestic and casual violence are intertwined with excessive drinking. Arguably, there should be less advertising of alcohol products plus more robust enforcement of randomised breath-testing.
Having capitulated in the defeat of the café bar concept by Fianna Fáil backbenchers, the Coalition clearly lacks the stomach to take on the powerful drink industry. But without decisive action, Ireland’s social burden of alcohol-related problems is not going to go away.
