Drinking Facts

young woman drinkingIn Oregon, a little over half the adult women drink, and young women in their late teens through their early thirties are most likely drink excessively.

Almost 30% of women 18-24 years old and 20% of women 25-34 years old report drinking five or more drinks on one occasion in the past month. Take the
5 Smart Steps
to Safer Drinking

• Make Choices

   • Learn About Alcohol.

 •   Know Your Limits.

   • Have a Plan.

•   Watch For Problems.
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And, contrary to many of society’s assumptions, some research shows the higher a woman’s educational level, the more likely she is to drink.

The Oregon Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System shows that mothers who graduated from college were almost twice as likely to drink (41.2%) than mothers who had not graduated from high school (22.5%) in the three months prior to becoming pregnant increasing her risk of alcohol-related diseases.

Risks to Women from Excessive Drinking

  • Women risk their reproductive health. When women drink heavily, they find it often affects their sexual reponse, their menstrual periods and can cause early menopause.
  • Women who drink alcohol while pregnant increase their risk of having a baby with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). 
  • Liver disease: Though men are twice as likely to die of alcoholic cirrhosis, women progress to cirrhosis and other alcohol-related liver diseases more quickly and at lower levels of alcohol intake than men, in Oregon, the rate of chronic alcoholic liver disease doubled for females in five years (2.9 per 100,000 in 1999; 6.3 per 100,000 in 2004).
  • Brain functioning: Women are more vulnerable than men to memory loss and brain shrinkage attributed to alcohol.6 Heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women more so than in men.
  • Heart Health: The level of alcohol intake at which people move from cardiac benefit to cardiac harm is considerably lower for women than men. Women who drink excessively, though they may consume less than men, are at increased risk for damage to the heart muscle.
  • Osteoporosis: Heavy alcohol use compromises bone health and increases the risk of osteoporosis. The negative effects on bone health are especially striking in young women, whose bones are still developing.
  • Breast Cancer: Several studies show a relationship between alcohol use and risk of breast cancer in women.
  • Mortality Rates: Compared with light drinking, heavy drinking increases the risk of death by 160% compared to 40% in men.
  • Violence: Women are more likely than men to suffer physical harm and sexual assault when drinking.

How much is too much?

Ask yourself the following questions about your party habits....

  • drunk girlDo you party alone?
  • Have others expressed concern about your drug or alcohol use?
  • Have you been involved in arguments or fights with your friends or family while you were drunk (or high)?
  • Do you often forget what has happened while you were partying?
  • Do you feel you need alcohol/drugs to have a good time?
  • Do you spend less time with your friends than you used to?
  • Have you ever missed class because you were too wasted to get up on time?
  • Do you think about drinking or using drugs often?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you should consider consulting a counselor or a health professional. While one "yes" doesn't mean you are dependent, it suggests that your drinking may be causing you some problems.

Unfortunately there are no quick cures for alcohol or other drug problems. However, treatment is available for people whose lives are negatively affected by drugs. Early intervention can help you avoid harmful affects from long-term alcohol or other drug use.

Substance Abuse Treatment Programs in Oregon

For more information, please call your student health center.