The effects of substance use on the female population: A brief exploration

Substance abuse is problem that permeates society on a global level. For decades, addiction research only examined drug and alcohol’s effect on men. However, this exclusion in early studies fails to take into consideration the non-discriminatory was that substance use disorders effect all circles of life with equal force, however, the effects on the female population demonstrates a specific profile of risk factors, social consequences, which this work aims to explore. The authors based this work on a non-systematic review of the current literature with recourse to various databases. The key-words utilized as search terms, in an isolated or combination method, included: female, substance use disorder, alcoholism, risk factors, recovery, relapse and addiction. Publications were included in the work when justified by their original and/or relevant content.

The literature demonstrates that there are differences in the way females and males use and respond to drugs. Differences also present in the consequences, especially social, which prove to be important obstacles in seeking and successfully complying with treatment. Some of these factors include greater experience of stigma, economic disadvantage and adverse family dynamics. Women have been shown to demonstrate greater cravings and probability of relapse, which compromise intervention plans. Women appear to demonstrate differences in regards to susceptibility, recovery and risk of relapse. The exclusion of women in the primordial substance use studies has contributed to the maintenance of a lacuna in what concerns women and drug use, however, the gap is slowly being bridged. Further advances are necessary in regards to the particularities that women present in this setting. The practical application of what is revealed through research is pertinent in risk reduction and relapse prevention.