To wonder why young women are drinking so much?

[TabithaStephens]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23358078

Why are so many young women drinking more than they did in the past? From the women I know, I think the figures for women born in the 80s and 90s will be even worse than the current ones for women born in the 70s. Is it down to the pressures of modern life? Were women formerly expected not to drink to excess and now those expectations are not there so women are drinking more?

Men still drink more but seemingly less than they did in the past. Are the sexes just coming closer together in their drinking?

This was the first "ladette" generation - think Sarah Cox, Zoe Ball, Cerys Matthews; there was a general culture amongst young women about 10 - 15 years ago, when the 1970s born women were early 20s, that you could go out and express your freedom by drinking with your mates; this was the time of the rise in alchopops and university attendance too.

I don't know whether the death rate thing is result of ongoing, heavy social drinking, or a liver damage as a result of behaviour 10 yers ago.

"Because that was the first cohort with even a sensible sniff of freedom? "

Or maybe it was ever so? Or maybe it's the same but the reasons have changed?

"and that the increase in drinking is to be laid mainly to the account of the female sex. This latter phase seems to be one of the unexpected results of the emancipation of woman. "

From Victorian London - Women - Drinking

I'm not sure that heavy drinking is socially acceptable across the board either. I drank heavily as a student, as did my friends, but now in our thirties we rarely get really drunk. If someone did it once at a social occasion we might find it funny, but if it was repeatedly I think that would be seen as worrying. Not sure where all these people are who think it's fine to get totally wasted every weekend.

I suppose there is an issue with people driving a bit too much - wine every night sort of thing. I find it hard to get outraged about though.

Drinking, not driving! Stupid auto correct.

For all the same reasons that men drink heavily I would imagine. Agree with other posters that many young women have the time and money and independence to indulge in heavy drinking if they so choose.

I used to be a serious heavy drinker myself (I'm 33). A couple of years ago I would easily have got through 3-4 bottles of wine over a weekend, and would have done that most weekends I feel horrified by it now! Since I've cut way back on drinking, and gone through periods of not drinking at all, I've really noticed how acceptable it is to drink in all sorts of situations. Cocktails, shots, massive glasses of wine are part and parcel of stereotypical 'girls' nights out'. Some people feel it's 'normal' to share a bottle of wine over dinner every single night. You get in the habit of drinking a certain amount and that becomes normal for you. I guess I'm saying that I think a lot of people drink way too much, and that is worrying, but I think it's equally worrying whether the drinker is male or female.

Everyone is drinking more, the UK has a drinking culture. For some people though, they seem more bothered that women are drinking more instead of looking at the bigger picture that most people are drinking more.

People have listed many reasons above but also it's not like drinking is a 'new' thing for women, there's a reason Gin was nicknamed 'mother's ruin', dating back to the 19th century- as for the 20th drinking was also done then to just done to excess in private, rather than public, because of the stigma.

To add, Gin was nicknamed mother's ruin but was everyones ruin, an example of focusing on women's drinking when actually it was the drinking culture -everyone drunk Gin.

Drinking wine at home has become acceptable. The generation before us wouldn't have dreamt of it, on the whole.

As Mia4 says gin was a big problem: Mothers ruin

The whole "Wine o'clock" thing is worrying IMO. Women counting down the hours until it is acceptable to drink.

Mia4, I think men are drinking less than they did in the past. Women are drinking more. But men are still drinking more than women.

Is there more for men to do that doesn't involve drinking?

Did no-one read my link? [sadface]

Everyone is drinking less. It is on the decline. It is logical that deaths and admissions will continue to rise (even then not in all groups) as people who abused alcohol in the binge years get sick.

Yesterday I bumped into a friend 35, who I haven't seen in over 2 years, she looked fantastic, thinner and brighter in general. She was a regular drinker, a couple of glasses of wine most days and more at weekends. She told me 18 months ago she was in the checkout queue, DD of 4 in tow, the next thing she remembers was the para's jump starting her. Her heart missed several beats and she came within a whisker of dying. 4 days in hospital and they couldn't work out what it was. Finally they gave her alcohol and she started having palpitations etc. So now no alcohol, decaf' coffee and tea. She said giving up was easy and she's never felt better, lost weight, got promoted at work, hasn't felt gloomy at all and a totally new lease of life.

I_ don't think people are drinking less though.

Just read your link madbuslady

And according to the link "young people are leading the drive towards healthier drinking." :)

Why confused?

Well, I gave you a link to some figures that show your thoughts are incorrect, Tabitha. I'm not sure where to go with this now, really.

(Sorry, confused at Tabitha's statement, x-posted with you.)

Okay :)

Actually a lot of middle-aged women drink lots too; I know because I have several colleagues in that age group and they drink every night; one gets a bit drunk every day.

I know a Doctor/Psychiatrist who drinks way too much.

A few Fridays ago we went round for dinner, she was telling us stories about the horrifying effects of Khat on the mental health of Somalians in the community she works. She was pissed witless at the time and by ten o'clock she had collapsed, literally.

See imo I don't think people are drinking any more then they ever did, it's just more acceptable now-as it was for a time in the 18th century when the records show many, many women and men drinking. I remember, as a child, have a large group of friends and when i went around quite a few of their their parent/s would be drinking during the day. And yet people would claim that 'no one really drank much in the 80's and 90's- they bloody well did in my area, it just was more private then public.

I personally just think after the whole 'Gin' issue, drinking was lessened a little but mainly it was done in private, so the issue wasn't highlighted. Now it's not seen as a stigma so it appears to be on the increase but actually it's just part of the culture we've had for years.

And with more education and a push towards healthiness and the highlighted issue of addiction, it may well be starting to peter off or decline.