PANAJI
A dedicated helpline will be launched by the Cansaulim chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous to help women quit drinking and to also hold women-only meeting sessions to deal with addiction issues.
Sister Rose Paite, 'Class A' Trustee of AA India said at a press conference that these services will be launched on May 18, on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the organization.
The AA estimates that between 60,000 and 80,000 women in Goa are likely to have alcohol use disorder and Dr Ashish Deshpande, also an AA 'Class A' trustee said that according to their observations, men generally drink for pleasure but women do so to reduce stress.
"Women experience more harm to their bodies and alcohol use disorders are more common in women than in men," Dr Deshpande said.
"Even if one person in the family becomes addicted to alcohol, it affects the entire family. The social stigma attached to alcoholics further impacts the family," he said, adding that men mostly come forward on their own to resolve their alcoholism and their families help them which is not the case with women.
"Women do not get such help from their families. We have often found that they do not come forward to resolve the problem of their their own accord either," he added.
