In one of his HBO comedy specials, the late comedian George Carlin said that men commit suicide at greater rates than women. So, he joked, if you ladies want true equality, you’ll have to take your lives in greater numbers.
By some measures, women are catching up to men, at least in terms of substance abuse numbers, at least in some areas. But men on Medicare still are four times as likely to abuse alcohol as women.
According to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, while 9 percent of “community-dwelling Medicare recipients” drank too much, when broken down by gender, only four percent of women abused alcohol compared to 16 percent of men. Even one or two drinks per day, though generally healthy, might be too much for some people based on age, size, gender or metabolism. The body’s ability to process drugs and alcohol decreases after age 60, so some of the problem may be people consuming the same amount as always, but being less able to tolerate it.
But a 2013 study of men and women’s addiction habits, covering 1999 to 2010, found that while women abused prescription drugs at a lesser rate than men – 6,600 compared to more than 10,000 – the women’s rate had increased 400 percent over the 11 years, while men’s had only increased 265 percent.
Women’s increasing rate of addiction may be because doctor’s became more willing to prescribe potentially addictive painkillers for chronic pain during that time, leading to the overall prescription pill and opioid epidemic, coupled with women’s greater willingness to see a doctor and greater incidence of chronic pain.
Another study, non-gender specific, found that opioid addiction was a problem for 11 percent of people 55 and older, cocaine was 5 percent, and all other drugs at 8 percent At age 75, 9 percent
abused opioids, 4 percent cocaine and 11 percent other drugs.
The ironic – or maybe just sad – thing is that opioids for chronic pain don’t really work. they’re only recommended in the short term not only because they are so addictive but because they quickly lose their efficacy. The body grow accustomed to them, and larger doses are required to have the same effect.
There are other methods of pain management, psychological ones, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness – and they also can be effective in controlling addiction – but they more involve controlling pain or living with it, not ending it per se. Physical therapy, preferably under a doctor or trainer’s guidance can help (trying to do it by yourself – or overdoing it – can cause more damage and pain).Holistic methods, such as acupressure or acupuncture, may also help. Give them a try. Even if it only has a placebo or psychosomatic effect
Don’t self-medicate with alcohol, illicit drugs or other substances however. Alcohol can cause brain damage, leading to amnesia, personality changes, depression and – by affecting your balance and causing you to fall down or stumble – severe physical injury, even leaving you crippled or dead.