Poland: Alcohol Harm in Women Rising
According to new data, alcohol harm among women in Poland is rising.
New estimates of the State Agency for the Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems (PARPA) there may be over 1.5 million women who have an an alcohol problem in Poland.
Specialist for addiction psychotherapy Adam Kłodecki explains that a clear increase in alcohol consumption can be seen among young Polish women living in large cities.
According to Mr. Kłodecki, women are using more alcohol because of
- High-stress jobs and the pervasive norm of using alcohol to unwind after work;
- The normalization of alcohol consumption alone at home as a “reward”.
He advises women who notice they have an alcohol problem to,
- try to reduce and/ or quit their alcohol consumption;
- seek professional help to reduce and/ or quit alcohol use.
Women can call a helpline anonymously and seek help if they are not ready to come forward with the problem. However the most accessible option for help in both large and small cities is addiction and co-addiction therapy in out-patient clinics, where people can seek help from specialists who diagnose the problem with them.
