Alcohol problems in women may be under diagnosed because their symptoms can differ from men's, a new study suggests. While men and women share some symptoms of nondependent drinking problems, men are more likely to engage in binge drinking and violence -- behaviors more likely to raise red flags among clinicians.
This problem have been observed by researchers who looked at pairs of twins who were mostly white, middle-ages and married, focusing on 105 symptoms commonly associated with alcohol use. It is caused by the gender differences in symptoms may mean that a separate, female-oriented measure may be needed to detect drinking problems among women. The researchers noted, for example, that some female symptoms of problem drinking, like feelings of guilt and depression, are not even included in standard medical texts.
