Women and Alcoholism

Paper Summary:

In a recent study conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse there are an estimated 4.5 million American women who are alcoholics today. The paper investigates this social problem against the backdrop of the autobiographical novel "Drinking, A Love Story" by Caroline Knapp. It shows how the novel offers the reader a glimpse not only into the world of alcohol addiction, its impact on families and potential treatments, but also into the scope of the disease as it relates to women.

From the Paper:

"Unfortunately, the fall out of alcohol abuse for women also reflects this double standard. Most men leave their alcoholic wives, whereas most women stay with their alcoholic husbands. This, of course, has more to do with sex roles than with alcohol. Women are still often economically dependent on men and therefore cannot leave even desperate situations. Women are also socialized to be self-sacrificing. Men are much freer to leave, economically and psychologically, and leave they do (Brennan, Moos, Rudolf, 1996). AS Knapp points out, "By the end, (drinking) was the single most important relationship in my life" (Knapp, 1996)."

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