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A new study published in Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research reveals that female veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are drinking in quantities comparable to their male counterparts, but experience more severe mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This highlights the growing importance of addressing the unique challenges faced by women veterans in relation to alcohol misuse and mental health.
Veterans are known to have higher rates of AUD and related impairments in both physical and mental health compared to the general population. This study suggests that the drinking trends among veterans are mirroring those in the broader society, where the alcohol gender gap is gradually closing. Historically, men have consumed more alcohol and experienced higher rates of alcohol-related mortality, while women have faced more significant alcohol-related harm, especially in terms of mental health.
Drinking patterns among women veterans appear to be influenced by a combination of early life stressors, potentially traumatic events, and the challenges of military service. Previous research has shown that such early-life stressors increase the risk of alcohol misuse in adulthood, and this study further supports this link, particularly in the context of veterans. At the same time, women veterans are more likely to report higher levels of co-occurring mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD, compared to their male counterparts.
The study, led by researchers at Stanford University, followed 126 veterans undergoing AUD treatment at a Veterans Affairs facility in California. The participants, aged 23 to 91 (with an average age of 47), were asked to complete surveys about their mental health symptoms, early life experiences, and alcohol use. The results showed that both male and female participants drank at similar rates in the three months preceding the study and during a six-month follow-up. However, women reported higher levels of early life stress and more severe psychiatric symptoms, including clinically significant PTSD scores.
Women veterans also faced a greater burden of mental health issues compared to their male peers, which likely stems from both military-related stress and the compounded effects of adverse childhood events. Despite this, gender and mental health status did not appear to affect the severity of AUD outcomes, suggesting that the severity of the disorder itself may diminish the impact of mental health factors.
The study’s findings highlight the importance of considering gender and mental health when addressing alcohol use disorder in veterans, particularly as the representation of women in the military continues to grow. Researchers emphasized the need for further studies to explore how mental health affects AUD outcomes, as well as to develop tailored treatment approaches for women veterans.
Disclaimer: The findings of this study may not apply to nonveterans, and further research across longer time periods is needed to explore the complex relationship between gender, mental health, and alcohol use.
More Information: William H. Craft et al., Rethinking gender differences: An investigation of comorbid psychopathology and alcohol use disorder in veterans, Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research (2025). DOI: 10.1111/acer.15505
