![]() On the other hand, women who use heroin and methadone can experience amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods Abs et al. ![]() Women sometimes use illicit drugs and alcohol as medication for cramping, body aches, and other discomforts associated with menstruation ( Stevens and Estrada 1999). Specifically, drugs and alcohol affect women's menstrual cycles, causing increased cramping and heavier or lighter periods. ![]() In addition, women who abuse substances have physiological consequences, health issues, and medical needs related to gynecology ( Peters et al. By and large, women who have substance use disorders have poorer quality of life than men on health-related issues. For example, a consequence of excessive alcohol use is liver damage (such as cirrhosis) that often begins earlier in women consuming less alcohol over a shorter period of time. Women differ from men in the severity of the problems that develop from use of alcohol and drugs and in the amount of time between initial use and the development of physiological problems ( Greenfield 1996 Mucha et al. Yet women have different physical responses to substances and greater susceptibility to health-related issues. The same general statements can be made for both men and women about their long-term effects-for example, both genders incur liver problems resulting from alcohol abuse, respiratory impairment and lung cancer as a consequence of smoking, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis from injection drug use, and memory difficulties associated with the use of marijuana. Physiological Effects and Consequences of Substance Abuse in WomenĪlcohol and drugs can take a heavy toll on the human body. A sample patient lecture is included that highlights the physiological effects of heavy alcohol use. Counselors can use the information presented in this chapter to educate their female clients about the negative effects substances can have on their physical health. ![]() A summary of key research on the impact of these substances when taken during pregnancy follows, and the chapter closes with a review of the effect that substance abuse has on women's HIV/AIDS status. The chapter goes on to explore the physiological effects of alcohol, drugs (both licit and illicit), and tobacco on the female body. It begins with a general exploration of how gender differences affect the way alcohol and drugs are metabolized in the body and then highlights several biopsychosocial and cultural factors that can influence health issues associated with drugs and alcohol. This chapter provides an overview of the physiological impact of alcohol and drugs on women, with particular emphasis on the significant physiological differences and consequences of substance use in women. In general, with higher levels of alcohol and drugs in the system for longer periods of time, women are also more susceptible to alcohol- and drug-related diseases and organ damage. From absorption to metabolic processes, women display more difficulty in physically managing the consequences of use. Based on human and animal studies, women are more sensitive to the consumption and long-term effects of alcohol and drugs than men.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |