26 February,2009 09:08 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
That's what a survey by Muktangan De-addiction Centre has revealed
Mohini Joshi (name changed), a 38-year-old housewife, was recently caught by her family members surreptitiously drinking alcohol a social habit, whichu00a0 has now turned into an addiction. Earlier, she used to consume only one peg a day. But now, she cannot refrain from drinking all day.
There are hundreds of housewives like Mohini who drink alcohol on the sly. This shocking finding is based on the observations made by Muktangan De-addiction Centre.
Coping with stress
"Sadly, such addictions are now not become regular even in middle-class families. The reason: Housewives are highly stress. Loneliness and the inability to cope with the changing times pushes them towards drinking.
Abnormal habits
Mukta Puntambekar, deputy director, Muktangan Mitra Foundation, and Pradumna Mohite, coordinator, women de-addiction centre, said these women get addicted after they start drinking socially. "The syndrome is catching up inu00a0 metro cities like Mumbai and now in Pune," they added.
Added Puntambekar, "Such cases have also been reported even in small towns and districts near Pune."
Compared to male alcoholics, these women suffer more, as their drinking habits are abnormal. They drink hurriedly, as they hide the habit from others and many a time consume hard drinks without diluting them with water or soda.
These women drink in bathrooms, as they don't dare to drink openly, Puntambekar pointed out.
"Alcoholism in women is still considered to be a social stigma in our traditional society," Puntambekar said. It is also equally difficult to rehabilitate them, as they do not come forward easily.
It has been found that 80 per cent of women who come for counselling are addicted to alcohol, said Puntambekar.
Here's how to get help
Women working in IT companies and BPOs are susceptible to weekend drinking binges. Class VI women in government services are prone to gutka, chewing tobacco and alcohol.
Muktangan has organised a five-week programme for these women to quit consuming alcohol through group therapy, lectures, music and art therapy, stress management, anger management and role-play methods
