Arabic version: تغيّر أنماط الشرب المحفوف بالمخاطر بين النساء في منتصف العمر

According to ABC News, risky drinking behaviours among Australian women aged 45 to 60 increased significantly between 2001 and 2019, citing National Drug Strategy Household Survey data. An addiction specialist says the face of risky drinking has “quietly changed”, while health professionals may still be more likely to look for these behaviours in men.

Chris Davis, co-founder of telehealth alcohol and drug treatment service Clean Slate Clinic, said most of his patients were women in their late 30s to early 50s, despite men being twice as likely to have an alcohol use disorder. He said women in midlife could be falling between the gaps in recognition and treatment.

A Macquarie University study of women aged over 40 last year found many were using alcohol to cope with hidden perimenopausal anxiety. Dr Davis said declining progesterone levels during perimenopause can result in less GABA, an inhibitory hormone in the brain, contributing to stress and anxiety. Alcohol also stimulates GABA production, he said, creating a similar relaxing effect.

Melbourne woman Mish Wright said her regular drinking increased as she reached perimenopause in her late 40s and early 50s. She said alcohol affected her sleep and that her body could no longer cope with it as well. After giving up alcohol, she said her disordered sleeping and wellbeing rapidly improved. Dr Davis said women can experience greater alcohol-related harm because they metabolise alcohol differently, and encouraged them to consider whether alcohol is beneficial for them.