While it’s common knowledge that alcoholism has harmful effects on the body, many don’t realize exactly how deadly the disease really is. A study in Germany produced results that may change the way you think about alcohol, especially in regards to women.
The study was conducted on a general population of 4,070 people, 153 of which were defined as alcoholics. After 14 years, almost a fifth of the alcoholics were deceased. Among the women, seven out of 30 died, revealing an annual death rate of 1.67 percent. On the other hand, 21 out of 119 men died, equaling an annual death rate of 1.26 percent.
During the course of the study, women suffering from alcohol addiction were five times more likely to die during the 14-year period than non-alcoholic women. In contrast, alcoholic men in the study were about twice as likely to die.
Does Treatment Make a Difference?
The treatment received by participants in this study was typically only detox. Once the patients stopped drinking and their withdrawal symptoms subsided, they did not seek additional treatment for their addiction. While detox alone cannot reverse the effects of a lifetime of alcohol abuse, it improved the overall quality of life for these women. However, it would have helped them even more to continue with treatment after detox.
At our alcohol detox facility, we provide a medically supervised detox, and then follow this with holistic and personalized treatment. Detox alone is not effective at addressing the addiction as it only treats the psychical symptoms and often only for the short-term.
It has also been noted individuals who were already suffering from alcohol-related health problems were more likely to seek treatment than those who weren’t, so the death rates are not an entirely accurate portrayal of alcohol addiction treatment.
Whether you’re a man or a woman, drinking alcohol can drastically shorten your life. In fact, alcoholism has been found to be more deadly than smoking. Take the time to think about the things you want to do in life and the people you love. If you’re suffering from alcoholism, it’s time to stop shedding years off of your life. Take the first step in your path to recovery by making the decision to seek help for your addiction before it’s too late.