Gender and social conditioning, how does it affect addiction?

[missparkles]

Just wondered, does gender and social conditioning, make women or men more resilient, when it comes to addiction? Do they cope better or worse, with all the problems their addiction throws at them?
Does the caring role that society places on women impede, or actually facilitate their using? Or are men, the biological hunter gathers, more predisposed to cope than women?
For example, I'm aware that society frowns on female heroin addicts who have kids, but not so much on male heroin addicts that have kids.

Perhaps they look disparagingly on men who are addicted, cos they feel they should be putting their family first. Men are brought up to be tough, be strong, "don't be a big baby, don't cry" could this affect their inability to show they're in emotional pain, and make addiction even more likely?
Same result...different reasons.

Do any of these make it easier to become addicted?
Does this make it more difficult to quit using, or doesn't it matter?
Apologies for the topic title, just couldn't think of anything more suitable.
Sparky.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Very interesting Topic with a lot of potencial of important Information!
	Excellent title, descriptive and interesting :)