Alcohol & Drug Abuse in Men

Most men who abuse drugs or alcohol begin doing so in adolescence or young adulthood. Throughout the high school and college years, young men deal with complex personal and social issues related to body image, physical attractiveness, sexuality and performance in athletic sports--issues that many believe define them as men. Men, in general, do not express their feelings verbally, as readily as do females, and may deal with them in less healthy ways. According to EmaxHealth, an online health information source, young men are also more likely than their female counterparts to have the opportunity to experiment with alcohol and drugs.

Men and Women

• Men and women react differently to drugs in a number of ways, including how likely they are to become addicted to various drugs. According to EmaxHealth, men are more likely to become addicted to marijuana (cannabis) and alcohol than are women. However, there is no difference in the likelihood of addiction to cocaine, heroin, tobacco, hallucinogens or inhalants between the sexes. It takes men longer to become drug dependent than it takes women. The risks of stroke related to cocaine use and its effects on the brain however, are found to be more severe in men than in women.

Hormonal Effects on Drug Reactions

• According to McLeanHospital, a Harvard Medical School online research and information source, drugs often produce biological and behavioral effects in men that are different from those produced in women. Luteinizing hormones (LH) are hormones produced by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland that stimulate ovulation in the female and the production of testosterone in males. These hormones appear to be more sensitive to cocaine stimulation in men than in women. Hormonal differences could account for some of the gender differences related to choice of drugs, as men reported a "subjective" high after their LH levels were significantly increased after intravenous cocaine and the smoking of a high nicotine cigarette. Reports of sexual arousal were also made by the men.

Anabolic Steroid Abuse

• Young men and athletes are especially vulnerable to the abuse of anabolic steroids or growth hormones due to the importance that many men place in appearing more masculine and performing well in sports. Anabolic steroids are used in the treatment of AIDS to offset the wasting away syndrome but are often abused by athletes and others to enhance performance and increase body size and muscle mass. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that anabolic steroids can stunt the height of growing adolescents, alter male sex characteristics, cause premature heart problems, liver tumors, strokes, kidney failure and psychiatric problems. Men who inject anabolic steroids also increase their risk of contracting or transmitting hepatitis or HIV.

Sexual Trauma Survivors

• According to reports by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs a high incidence of substance abuse is found in men who have experienced sexual assault as compared to only 11 percent of those who have not been sexually assaulted. Men who have experienced sexual assault feel isolated and misunderstood because our culture teaches them that they should always be strong and in control of the situation. Most sexually assaulted men do not report the crime and deal with shame, fear and doubt alone. If sexual abuse happened at the hands of a female, it is laughed off and not taken seriously. Substance abuse is often one way men deal with feelings they do not want to share.

Risks

• Men who abuse substances are at risk of becoming depressed, anxious and suicidal. They are more likely to be involved in a traffic accident or engage in violent behavior while intoxicated, often against their own loved ones. Risky sexual behavior is common to substance abusing men, especially those who use stimulant drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine. Men who abuse substances have relationship problems at home and on the job and often become unemployed due to their substance abuse. They are at higher risk of developing health problems such as cancer, HIV and liver dysfunction, and many become drug addicted.