Dr. Jean Kirkpatrick, author of GOODBYE HANGOVERS, HELLO LIFE, feels that depression is more prevalent in women because most have not learned how to express their anger or it has not been socially acceptable to do so. And underneath the depression, there is often a lot of anger.

Being the victim of incest or rape has only recently been identified as a major factor in the development of alcoholism in women. Between 30 to 70 percent of women alcoholics are thought to have been sexually abused as adults or children.

"I am repeatedly appalled at the incidence of sexual abuse among the women I see," says Caroline Mossman, a counsellor at an alcoholic treatment program sponsored by the Albertan government. "I always encourage women to discuss their sexuality and often, even during an initial interview, painful long submerged stories of sexual abuse come pouring out... It is important that women clients have access to a female counsellor with whom to share such intimate feelings (Healthsharing, fall, 1984)."

Lesbian women appear to have an increased risk of developing drinking problems. Also being without a partner is a significant factor in alcohol abuse. Women who work outside the home are two to three times more likely to develop problems with alcohol. Women who stay at home are more likely to become addicted to tranquilizers.

Women from families where one or both parents are alcoholics are four times as likely to become alcoholics as women from non-alcoholic families. Unfortunately, a woman alcoholic is also likely to marry an alcoholic. But chances are that she will end up alone. One study showed that nine out of ten women stayed with their alcoholic husbands, while only one of ten husbands stayed with their alcoholic wives.

Linda Beckman, of the Department of Psychiatry, at UCLA, has done extensive research on women and alcoholism. Comparing alcoholic men and women, she found that men were likely to drink for escapist reasons while women drink to overcome feelings of powerlessness and inadequacy (Healthsharing, fall 1984).

Women alcoholics almost always have a low sense of self-esteem and negative self-image. They often have problems with relationships with men, often have a history of sexual abuse and feel guilty, isolated and depressed about their drinking.

To truly recover from an addiction to alcohol, a woman has to change how she thinks and feels about herself. She needs to build her confidence and self-esteem.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (AA) has helped countless numbers of women and has been indispensable to their recovery. AA has a 12 step program which is practical and widely available in both rural and urban areas. It also offers ongoing support and companionship to women.

But AA does not always address the special needs of women or the fact that they are living in a world where they are anything but equal.

AA may stress being humble and admitting your faults over and over and staying connected to your past. This may be important to the recovering male alcoholic.

However, a woman alcoholic needs to go in the opposite direction. She needs to develop a stronger sense of herself and overcome feelings of worthlessness and humility. She also needs to re-examine her past relationships. Yet intimate details of incest, abuse and sexual problems are unlikely to come out at an AA meeting where there are always men present. But these issues must be talked about in a supportive atmosphere if a woman is to completely recover.

Dr. Jean Kirkpatrick was an alcoholic herself for 20 years and she found no help for herself in AA. In 1975 she founded WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY (WFS) a self-help group specifically designed for female alcoholics. AA and WFS have the same goal, but they approach it from a very different perspective.

"And because WFS and AA are so different, they don't conflict, says Dr. Kirkpatrick. "In fact 80 percent of our members use both. Actually it's amazing that AA has worked so well for thousands of women, because it was never intended for women. It's based on the consciousness of men, and in the first year of its existence, women were never permitted to join."