More than a decade ago, Holly Whitaker struggled with insecurities and fears of not being enough while working a director-level job at a Silicon Valley start-up. In her own words, she shares how these feelings manifested as fear and led her to seek comfort in alcohol. The relief she found in drinking made her feel warm, numb, and energized. However, in her 2019 book titled “Quit Like a Woman,” Whitaker reveals how her use of alcohol was a perverse way of dealing with anxiety.
According to Whitaker and others, alcohol has become a modern-day tranquilizer targeted at successful, stressed-out women as a means to forget their problems, while silently exacerbating them. High-income, highly educated women, who should seemingly have more resources to handle stressors, are ironically the ones who drink excessively. This phenomenon can be attributed to the increasing pressure on women to meet societal standards in various aspects of life.
Recent data shows that despite men still being more likely to die from alcohol-related causes, alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths among women are rising at an alarming rate. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this trend, with women experiencing a 41 percent increase in “heavy drinking” days compared to men’s 7 percent increase. The problem is not limited to the pandemic period, as high-risk drinking among women had been increasing before that as well.
Women in their 30s and 40s, who are juggling careers, motherhood, and caring for aging parents, have witnessed the fastest rise in problem drinking. Paradoxically, these women are the ones with more financial resources, yet they face immense pressure to meet the ever-rising standards in various areas of their lives. This group, including high-income women, often turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism to deal with their stress.
Acknowledging the gender divide, research shows that women tend to drink as a way to cope with stress and negative emotions, while men tend to drink for socialization or to enhance positive feelings. A study conducted by Julie Patock-Peckham and her team revealed that women are significantly more sensitive to stress, and just being stressed is enough to drive them to drink heavily. This sensitivity to stress is especially alarming considering the increased stress levels experienced by women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While alcohol may temporarily provide soothing effects by mimicking a relaxing brain chemical, the long-term consequences are detrimental. As the effects wear off, anxiety levels increase, leaving individuals feeling more anxious than before. However, many people continue to rely on alcohol to unwind after a stressful day, using it as an escape and a way to numb their emotions.
Moreover, women’s use of alcohol to cope with stress poses significant health risks. Women process alcohol differently than men, making them more susceptible to alcohol-related health issues such as liver disease and cancer. Daily consumption of alcohol increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer, with alcohol accounting for approximately 15 percent of all breast cancer cases. Alcoholic liver disease is also on the rise among younger women.
It is crucial to recognize that alcohol is not a sustainable solution for managing stress, particularly for women. Women need healthier coping mechanisms that address the root causes of their stress rather than resorting to temporary relief. The era of using alcohol as a sedative is far from ideal, and it’s time to break free from this harmful cycle.
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