Why do drugs and alcohol affect women so differently than they do in men?

Certain women allude to unique reasons for using drugs, including controlling weight, fighting exhaustion, coping with pain, and attempts to self-treat mental health problems. But I am not sure if this is a myth, however I’ve heard worse more effects of substance abuse in women who try to use than in men, including heart problems, quick severe mental deterioration, passing on such effects esp. heart diseases to their children, and social/relationship instabilities. If this is true, why is it that women are affected so negatively than men when they try to use substances esp. drugs and alcohol?

Regular User Asked on November 20, 2018 in Substance Abuse.
Add Comment
2 Answer(s)

Is it true ? In my 16 years in the field, I never heard that men and women were affected differently from drugs and alcohol ? We need a specialist to explain. Anyone ?

Super User Answered on November 22, 2018.
Add Comment

I think naturally (or precisely, biologically), they are all affected almost similarly. The difference seen in behavior is how each body perceives the effects of the drugs based on one’s genetic strength and perseverance through the deterioration process.

Women, having more complex biological systems that require a lot more care with much more hormonal interactions that can be easily affected by other chemicals like drugs than in men, esp. fertility, ovulation, pregnancy, breast feeding, etc – tend to have more to lose than among men. Also, most women are naturally more prone to panic attacks, depression and anxiety than men. In most cases, men can withstand a lot. I’ve read somewhere about these three effects proven in science:

  1. Women can respond to substances differently. For example, they may have more drug cravings and may be more likely to relapse after treatment.
  2. Sex hormones can make women more sensitive than men to the effects of some drugs.
  3. Women who use drugs may also experience more physical effects on their heart and blood vessels and also brain changes in women who use drugs can be different from those in men.

Clearly, the effects are more severe to women than to men. I treat a woman like an angel, I mean, they deserve it, they are our mothers and mothers of our children, so, I find it so weird and it makes my heart ache when I see a woman under addiction influence. If at any one moment the number of women addicts rises over men, this nation will be finished.

Regular User Answered on November 23, 2018.
Add Comment

Your Answer
