Gender Differences in Drug Use

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Gender Differences in Drug Use

• By Jennifer Bustos

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Introduction

• In the past, most research about drug use and
  addiction was based on male study participants
• Most treatment and prevention programs are based
  on this male model
• Organizations like the National Institute on Drug
  Abuse have realized there is a need for research
  and programming based on a female model that
  addresses the unique needs of females

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Girls and Women have unique needs in the areas of

• Rate of Use
• Reasons for Use
• Commonly Used Drugs
• Physiological Effects and Response
• Treatment and Relapse
• Preventive Methods
• Pregnancy Concerns

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Rate of Use

• Believed gender gap shrinking
• Girls do not use drugs less than boys, they have
  fewer opportunities to use
• Counselors may be able to predict drug use by
  talking to students about their opportunities for
  use

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Reasons for Use

• Depression
• Diet or eating disorders
• Physical, Sexual or other abuse
• Ease of obtaining drugs
• Stress reduction

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Mass Media Influences

• One of the first media campaigns targeting women
  was the Lucky Strike company in 1967

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Mass Media Influences

• Advertisers play on womens insecurities,
  promising sex appeal and attractiveness with use

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Mass Media

• 70 percent of girls questioned could answer
  correctly when asked what product the Budweiser
  Frogs sold

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Mass Media

• Alcopops (wine coolers and other malt
  beverages) popular with young women
• Sweet, fruity beverages that cover the taste of
  alcohol
• Girls report that these beverages are less potent
  than beer and have fewer undesirable effects

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Mass Media

• Heroin Chic trend in Hollywood and the Fashion
  Industry

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Commonly Abused Drugs

• Young women are more likely to use alcohol or
  tobacco products because they are readily
  available
• Abused drugs vary by culture, location and
  socio-economic status

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Common Drugs

• Girls who drink coffee
• Are more likely to smoke or drink alcohol
• Begin the use of alcohol and tobacco product
  earlier than those who do not

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Physiological Effects and Response

• Process of addiction in the brain is the same
  across genders

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Physiological Response

• Differences in
• The way women metabolize drugs
• Self-administer drugs
• The amount of time after first exposure to second
  use
• Vulnerability to relapse after treatment

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Physiological Response

• Examples
• One drink will affect a woman as much as two
  drinks affect a man of the same size
• Women who smoke have a much higher risk of heart
  attack and stroke than men who smoke (compounded
  if they are using oral birth control)
• Men are able to metabolize cocaine more quickly,
  women have fewer negative effects related to
  cocaine use

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Treatment and Relapse

• Young girls present a unique challenge in
  treatment
• Programs must address the stresses of physical,
  emotional and hormonal changes
• As girls grow and change, coping skills must also
  change

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Treatment and Relapse

• Women may also be able to increase their chances
  of success by timing attempts to stop using drugs
  with their menstrual cycle. Cravings and
  withdrawal symptoms seem to be less severe during
  the first half of the cycle

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Prevention

• Techniques that work
• Family supervision and support
• School connectedness and performance
• Positive female role models
• Acquisition of life skills
• Early drug use education programs

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Prevention

• Postive Influences from Mass Media
• The Anti-Drug campaign
• Dance
• My Anti-Drug

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Pregnancy

• Drugs inhibit judgment and decision making which
  can result in
• Poor choices about birth control
• Increased risk for contraction of sexually
  transmitted diseases
• Unintended pregnancy

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Pregnancy

• The stress of an unwanted pregnancy can make it
  even more difficult for addicted mothers to stop
  using drugs.
• The negative effects of drugs on an unborn fetus
  have been proven for almost every drug imaginable

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Implications for Counselors

• Be aware of the unique needs of females and how
  to address them
• Apply this information to school-based prevention
  and treatment programs
• Male drug abuse and treatment is a valid area of
  study even though it was not addressed in this
  presentation

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Resources

• National Institute on Drug Abuse
  http//www.drugabuse.gov/index.html
• The National Center on Addiction and Substance
  Abuse at Columbia University http//www.casacolumb
  ia.org/pdshopprov/files/151006.pdf
• March of Dimes http//www.marchofdimes.com/home.as
  p
• The Marin Institute http//www.marininstitute.org/
  alcohol_policy/women_alcohol.htm