Since March last year - drinking alcohol is up - especially for women. More women than men are prone to over-drink when stressed according to a new study from Arizona State University. University of Houston professor Dr. Elizabeth Gregory, says a major factor has to be that right now many women are under more stress than men. The Covid lockdown and mandates are especially harsh. "Here in Houston, 30% of moms are single moms. That means they are stressed around school closures, work issues, decline of good day care available - all taken on by themselves. That is another stress basis for women."
Binge Drinking on the Rise for Older Women
She says the holidays are fun, but can trigger added stress for women, who are most often the planners, cooks, shoppers and hosts for holiday events and traditions. Dr. Gregory says more women than men are looking for relief because they are dealing more directly first from navigating the Covid Lockdown and now the holidays with gifts, decorating, and extended family visits. "There are so many dimensions to the family dynamic. It's often the 'planner' - and it's often that the planner of a family is a woman - gets all the stress!"
Dr. Gregory says the worst thing is that over-drinking adds another dimension to her trauma and further complicates her situation.
photo:GettyImages
Woman drinking due to stress.Photo: Getty Images