| Show Lady Alcoholics Increasing Problem drinking among women is rising says Dr Ruth Fox a New York psychiatrist who has had 35 years of oC experience in treating treating treating treat treat- ing alcoholics and dealing with the problem f SHE POINTS out that al- al anyone who can toler- toler tte alcohol can become an alcoholic if iC the they drink enough long enough Many people risk addiction without knowing it She said Ive had people say to me Oh Im I'm just a social drink drink- er I dont don't drink more than two or three drinks a day But that may mean the beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning of oC a dependence on alcohol which may lead to alcoholism said Dr Fox She defines social drinking as U one or two drinks once or twice a week on special occasions not something something something some some- thing which is absolutely needed every day Women Drinkers The majority of oC alcoholics are men We know that one out of oC every 13 men over 20 years of oC age is already an alcoholic said Dr Fox All AJI told there are 6 to alcoholics of oC both sexes in the United States according to the National Council on Alcoholism WOMEN alcoholics are in in- in creasing Dr Fox who is president of oC the American Medical Society on Alcoholism and also served as medical director of oC the National Council Council Council Coun Coun- cil on Alcoholism for many years says the number of oC women alcoholics is a staggering staggering staggering stag gering figure Ten years ago statisticians said there were five male alcoholics for every woman drinker Now theres there's theresa a suspicion that the ratio could be three and to one if iC confined to such major cities as New York Los Angeles Boston and Washington Washing Washing- ton one to one Dr Fox attributes part of the statistical increase to the public awareness of the problem lem that has brought women drinkers out in the open to seek help About 10 years ago women were ashamed of having this problem and they never came for treat treat- ment But she also notes that drinking is on the rise among well-educated well suburban housewives who start to take a couple of oC drinks each day to combat boredom and also among professional proCessional women women women wo wo- wo- wo men who hoist a few at lunchtime lunchtime lunchtime lunch- lunch time to keep up with their male counterparts Causes of Alcoholism While much remains to be learned about the causes of oC alcoholism experts agree that drinking tends to run in families But they arent aren't sure whether alcoholism is inherited inherited inherited or influenced by the environment or both We know that 52 percent of oC our alcoholics have had a mother or father who is alcoholic If you take in larger family Camily uncles aunts sisters and brothers it rises to 67 percent Dr Fox said This can partly help to explain explain explain ex ex- ex- ex plain why one woman faced with a tragic or emotionally upsetting experience w will ll turn to alcohol while another woman with a similar problem problem problem lem will not I dont don't think there is much question that if you are brought up in a milieu where there is a great deal of oC drinking and you get into a difficult emotional situation situation situation sit sit- the first thing you may think of oC is alcohol said Dr Fox Treatment Helps An alcoholics alcoholic's history can also determine duration of treatment Dr Fox said Let Letus us say that we have two women 45 years old They both decide they want to stop drinking AS ALCOHOLICS their characteristics seem to be similar low frustration tolerance tolerance tolerance toler toler- ance rebellion unwillingness to talk about their drinking problem If you get into their backgrounds however you may find something very different erent You may find that one of oC them was quite shy in adolescence adolescence adolescence adol adol- began to drink at 15 and found that it was the great answer She felt Celt at ease and could talk So every time she was in a difficult situation situation situation situa situa- tion afterwards she drank Now if she decides to stop drinking at 45 she has the emotional equipment of a 15 or year old because she has never faced anything without without without with with- out alcohol NOW THE TilE other woman might be somebody who had been quite well-adjusted well in her early life but for social reasons or because she was exhausted from Crom overwork she drank to feel less fatigued and gradually became alco alco- holic If this woman decides to quit drinking at 45 it will willbe willbe willbe be easier for Cor her to return to her former Cormer good-adjustment good while the first woman will require two or three years of therapy before beCore she actually actually actually ac ac- ac- ac grows up said Dr Fox For alcoholics who want to quit Dr Fox pointed out There is no place in the United States which isn't within with with- in driving distance of help This help includes Alcoholics Anonymous state treatment centers and the 81 facilities of the National Council on Alcoholism Alcoholism Alcoholism Alco Alco- holism located in various parts of oC the nation i |
