FH Effects of Alcohol on Women

Women are drinking more alcohol than ever before

Some reasons include:

• Women are more independent socially and economically - we are more able to buy our own drinks with our own money
  
• Women have more opportunities to drink and more pressure to do so .
  
• Alcohol advertising is increasingly aimed at women telling us that drinking a product will enhance our image in different ways

Women ARE different

• Women’s bodies are more easily damaged by drinking than men’s.
  
• Because we have more fat and less water in us than men have, alcohol is more concentrated in our body system.

This means...

• We get drunk faster than men do.
  
• We get more drunk on the same amount than men do.
  
• We feel the effects of the alcohol for longer.
  
• We are more likely to get liver damage and cirrhosis sooner than men would.

How much is safe?

• Some drinks are safer than others, depending on how much alcohol is in them.

AS A GUIDE…...

Safe levels

• For most women a sensible upper limit is 2-3 standard drinks on 3-4 days each week.
  
• Try to keep at least 2-3 days a week alcohol free (this gives the liver a chance to recover).
  
• For some women even the above levels may be too much.

It is safer not to drink alcohol at all if you are:

• Pregnant.
  
• On prescription drugs (check with doctor/chemist).
  
• Have been advised not to drink.
  
• Have had problems with drinking in the past.

Drinksafe checklist

• Stay within safe levels - avoid heavy drinking sessions.
  
• If your weekly total is nine drinks or less spread throughout the week your health is unlikely to suffer long-term damage. Above this is risky.
  
• Cut down if you are drinking over nine drinks per week. If you are worried about your drinking get helpful advice.
  
• Be abstinent if you think you might be, or are likely to be pregnant.
  
• Remember that alcohol has no nutritional value but it does carry heaps of calories.

IF….

• Your family or friends are concerned about your drinking…
  
• Your paid/unpaid work has been affected by your drinking (late.. Sick days)…
  
• You’ve had legal problems - drunk driving, accidents, aggressive behaviour…
  
• You drink to relieve tension, stress, sadness, loneliness and the past….

DON’T DELAY IN GETTING SOME HELP

Alcohol and other drugs

• Every drug, whether prescription or an over-the-counter preparation, has been formulated to act in a certain way in your body.
  
• When several drugs are taken together or with alcohol they may alter each others effects and result in a serious drug interaction.

Dangerous combinations

Alcohol plus:

• Anti-depressants: amplify the effect


• Anti-histamines: increase effect to depression and dizziness


• Pain relievers: may cause bleeding in the stomach or intestines.


• Sedatives: may increase sedation, cause depression.


• Sleeping pills: depress respiration, possible death.


• Tranquilisers: increase sedation, depression, dizziness.


• Marijuana: slows down reaction times much more than one drug alone. Affects judgement about consequences.

Check with your chemist or medical advisor, but if in doubt, don’t drink alcohol with other drugs.

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