How do women experience addiction differently than men?

There will be distinctions between how addiction affects men and women based on biological and sociological differences. Harvard Medical School suggests that the notable differences in addiction between men and women center around “susceptibility, recovery, and risk of relapse.” Biologically, Testosterone and Oestrogen production levels in men and women determine the level of addiction in a person at a given time for the given amount of substance. Effect of substance abuse is said to revolve primarily around average body size and composition, that cause substances to diversely affect the body. At the same time, sociological factors such as childcare responsibilities, addiction stigma, relationship dynamics, and etc.. too impact addiction levels in an individual on several different levels. 

Women are highly susceptible to transition from substance abuse to substance dependence and addiction at a faster pace given the biological and sociological factors. Society in general imposes so many restrictions in experience and expression for women and in turn expects so much from them that at a given point in emotional pain, they resort either to substance abuse or prescription medicines to alleviate the same. Though it feels normal and starts as a random act of attaining relief in the beginning, women are more prone to physical and emotional stress which makes them gradually delve into addictive behaviors even before they realize it. Women are also likely to suffer more side effects from addiction (like liver damage) and die from overdose. Along with the stigma associated with letting their addiction known to the outside world, they deny treatment and end up enduring doubled up pain as a result.

Study Consensus

According to published study, men are more likely to abuse illicit drugs and alcohol. 11.5% of males over 12 have a substance use disorder, compared to 6.4% of females. However, women are more likely to go to the emergency room or fatally overdose due to substance abuse. Irony being that women are more likely to experience intense cravings and relapse and they are more likely to experience severe withdrawal symptoms too as compared to their male counter parts. Also, Girls between the ages of 12 and 17 have been observed to abuse all types of prescription opioids and stimulants than boys of the same age. This is because women may experience more pleasurable responses to drugs than men and they stabilise at higher doses of drug than do males. There is also an established fact that the “telescoping” phenomenon was reported for alcoholism in women who were in a treatment program already (Piazza et al. 1989).

Quitting can be difficult

Women fear quitting because during attempts to quit, they experience greater unpleasant symptoms than men do (Hogle and Curtin 2006; Becker and Koob 2016). They effect higher fluctuation on mood and anxiety as well as higher stress response as compared to men according to Hogle and Curtin 2006 study. On the contrary, males experience severe symptoms of withdrawal while quitting alcohol than women do. 

Biological Factors

A current model of study states that the development of addiction is that the nucleus accumbens is important for engaging in behaviours that are initially rewarding, while the dorsal striatum is involved in escalated drug taking and compulsive behaviours (Clark et al. 2013; Willuhn et al. 2012). Another model too made a parallel study to state that when an individual experiences something new and exciting or consumes a new substance, dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and dorsal striatum are important for the development of craving or ‘wanting’ to experience it again, the endorphins in the nucleus. These studies signify the role of nucleus accumbens in a person whether male or female. Research also indicates that the dorsal striatum is important for well-learned patterns of behaviour that can operate in the background without intentional control, which is usually exerted by the prefrontal cortex. Therefore, the biological make of a person has a vital role to play in addictive behaviours irrespective of the gender.

Contextual and Social Factors

The contextual and social factors that include the stigma, on-going interpersonal violence, many more barriers to treatment-seeking and engagement, lack of social support for recovery among girls and women may influence the processes of addiction and relapse and are highly responsible for the progress of addiction among women who are ill-treated and deprived of basic rights in the immediate family. 

Be it biological, social or casual reasons, all the studies point out to the probability of faster progression of addiction among females as compared to their counterparts. Given the context of Covid pandemic, these addictions are capable of progressing at an exponential level due to added stress and anxiety. Therefore, addictions need to be addressed at the earliest to achieve the much-needed sobriety. Seeking help from quality rehabs could be the first best move.