More women seeking treatment for alcohol abuse: report

MORE women in Singapore are seeking treatment for alcohol abuse, a report said Sunday.

Doctors said the number of women becoming addicted to alcohol rose about 30 percent last year compared to the year before, the Sunday Times reported.

Dominic Lim, associate consultant psychiatrist at the Institute of Mental Health's Alcohol Treatment Centre, said the centre treated 40 women last year compared to 22 in 1997 and 1998.

More than two-thirds of the women started drinking between the ages of 18 and 30, he said.

According to Lim, many who sought treatment were from lower socio-economic backgrounds, had relationship problems and were less educated. Most also come from homes where there was already some form of alcohol abuse.

A quarter of the women in the centre sought treatment on their own, while more than a third were referred by their families, Lim said.

"In the last one year, though, we are seeking more education women who have studied up to A levels and beyond," he said, adding that many of the women were suffering from liver damage.

"Most women come to us rather late, when there is already a fair amount of liver damage."

A survey in Singapore earlier this year showed that young Singaporean females were drinking more these days compared to a few years ago.

According to the report, single females between the ages of 19 and 26 were going out at least twice a week, spending about 200 Singapore dollarsa month on drinks.