Men more likely than women to experience substance abuse, mental illness

A new analysis from Pew finds that men are twice as likely as women to develop a substance use disorder. Looking at data from the CDC, the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, and elsewhere, researchers found that men are more likely to drink alcohol excessively and are also more frequent users of marijuana than women. The impact of trauma — from childhood abuse or another cause — appeared to be stronger in men, who are also at higher risk of developing a substance use disorder as a result. The analysis also found that the rates of suicide are almost four times higher in men than in women. Given that substance abuse and past trauma are related, interventions should focus on treating both mental health issues and substance use disorders, the report suggests.