Women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently than men. Drinking differs between men and women. Women consume less alcohol and have fewer alcohol-related problems and dependence symptoms than men. But the women suffer number of problems that result from their drinking .

Drinking behavior differs with the age, life role, and marital status of women. In general, a woman’s drinking resembles that of her husband, siblings, or close friends. Women become intoxicated after drinking smaller quantities of alcohol than are needed to produce intoxication in men.

Younger women who are alcoholics are nearly twice as likely to attempt to commit suicide than older women who are alcoholics. Women who consume excessive alcohol develop liver disease. Proportionately, more alcoholic women die from cirrhosis than do alcoholic men.

Among women, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced mortality rate, but this apparent survival benefit appears largely confined to women at greater risk for coronary heart disease.