Table 1.

Sex Differences in Stages of Addiction

	Acquisition	Escalation	Maintenance	Withdrawal	Relapse
Women	Initial exposure to drug, food or activity. May experience more pleasurable responses to drugs than men (cocaine, amphetamine). More likely to self- medicate than men.	Increase in amount and frequency of drug taking. For those at risk for addiction, escalation is more rapid than for men (gambling, alcohol, drugs).	The addictive behavior is established and stabilizes. Females stabilize at higher doses of drug than do males. Side effects of drug use are greater for women.	Female smokers report increased negative affect during withdrawal and experience a greater stress response than men do.	Women are more likely to relapse than men and do so more sporadically.
Men	Initial exposure to drug, food or activity. Take drugs and engage in risky behaviors to be part of the group more than women do.	Slower escalation than for women (gambling, alcohol, drugs).	The addictive behavior is established and stabilizes. Males stabilize at lower doses of drug than do females.	Men exhibit greater symptoms of withdrawal from alcohol than women.	Men have longer periods of abstinence than women.