Mental health articles

Physiologic Effects of substance use Women are more susceptible to the short- and long-term effects of drugs and alcohol, in part due to having proportionately more body fat and lower volumes of body water compared to men. This results in a more rapid progression from initial use to the development of health-related problems. Women use substances for shorter periods of time before seeking treatment, but they report a greater severity of psychiatric, medical, and employment complications.
Women can become more quickly intoxicated from smaller quantities of alcohol than men. They are more susceptible to alcohol-related organ damage including damage to organs/organ systems such as the liver, heart, bone, nervous, and reproductive systems. Other drugs classes, such as opiates and stimulants, have similar increased physiological effects on women compared to men, often causing higher rates of disease regardless of degree of drug use or intensity.

Tags: substance use