Women are seeking care for alcohol abuse an average of four to five years earlier than their male counterparts, according to a study.
The study's results will be published in the January 2014 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
Harbor Village, a drug and alcohol detox center in Miami, Florida, CEO Robert Niznik said: "Without proper care and treatment from a certified detox facility, alcohol abuse can evolve into a serious dependency. Receive the care you need and get on the path to recovery."
University of Florida psychiatry department postdoctoral associate and corresponding author for the study Ben Lewis said historically, due to its markedly higher prevalence among men, alcoholism has been considered a male disease.
"More recently it has been recognized that while men may have a higher prevalence, women may be uniquely vulnerable to negative consequences of chronic drinking. In particular, it was recognized that women might experience a 'telescoping' effect, wherein they progress more rapidly through various stages of the disease."
