Family physicians can play important role helping women overcome drinking problems.

Abstract

When alcoholic women seek medical assistance, it is more likely to be because of distress over interpersonal or family problems, and their complaints of anxiety, depression and insomnia will be treated with prescription drugs. The alcoholism, which presents differently in women than men, is often left undiagnosed and untreated. However, even when women seek help for a drinking problem, traditional and male-dominated support groups may not meet their unique needs. When it comes to alcoholism, men and women are certainly not created equal.