A new study from the University of Iowa found that women are more likely to believe that their drinking problem will get better on its own. This also means they are less likely to seek help for alcoholism or alcohol use disorder.
The study was conducted to identify whether or not there were differences in the way men and women handle excessive alcohol consumption—and to dig deep into the differences, should there be any. It suggests that because men and women handle the problem in different ways, there should also be different strategies for providing assistance.
“We should ask ourselves, ‘How can we tailor services for women; how can we improve problem recognition; what messages will encourage women who have drinking problems to get help’,” says Paul Gilbert, UI College of Public Health’s assistant professor of community and behavioral health, as well as the lead author of the study.
Previous surveys have also confirmed that there are indeed stark differences in the way women and men deal with alcohol use disorder, and the study confirmed the results of past studies. It found that the majority of adults with alcohol use disorders do not seek help from specialty clinics or community-based groups for a number of different reasons.
The survey, as well as previous studies, confirmed that women were more hesitant to utilize these alcohol services than men.
Gilbert says that the survey-data analysis is the first to examine the specific reasons why adults don’t look for help. “Men and women think differently about how they overcome alcoholism. Women are more independent-minded and self-reliant, thinking it can be done independently. Men are more pessimistic based on failed past experiences, or they don’t know where to go to get help.”
He says that the most common reason for failing to seek help is an embarrassment. There is also a prevalent belief that they should be strong enough on their own to be able to stop drinking. However, this is not always the truth.
While embarrassment is a very common reason among men and women, the Iowa study also pinpointed certain gender differences. For example, women were much more likely than men to believe their problem will get better on its own. Men, on the other hand, were more likely to report having failed in previous attempts to get help. Other men think that nothing could help them get better. Click the link to see Chicago's top rehab placement programs.
The study used data gathered in a random survey of Americans by the National Institutes of Health asking general health-related questions.
Women have been found to be more likely to seek out treatment for alcoholism by using services focused on mental health issues in general instead of from organizations specializing in alcohol problems.
Meanwhile, there are other studies that suggest women are less likely to acknowledge the fact that they have a drinking problem. This makes them less likely to seek help because they don’t believe there is a problem in the first place. Others think they simply don’t have the time to seek treatment, given their work obligations and family commitments. Tackling substance abuse is, therefore, the least of their priorities.
The study proves that a different approach is necessary for men and women struggling with alcohol use disorder.
The silver lining is that women are also more likely to seek help if the programs were developed specifically for them, such as women-only support groups and women caregivers.
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