A recent study coming out of England shows that highly educated, professional women are more likely to drink heavily. According to researchers from the University of Lancaster, the higher the household income, the higher the alcohol consumption among women.

The study looked at female alcohol consumption in the U.K. and Denmark, where excessive drinking is common. While they found a decline in binge drinking by women in these countries since 2000, there has been an increase in “hidden forms of drinking” such as home drinking and wine drinking into middle age.

So, why are these women drinking more? The authors of the study argue that part of the problem is Britain’s approval of “civilized” European-style drinking at home. While the government has looked down upon excessive drinking by its youth and the working class, it has essentially ignored, and possibly validated, drinking by the middle aged and middle class.

This claim could be true in America as well. Past studies have shown an increase in the amount of middle aged women binge drinking. As for professional women, substance abuse is twice as likely among attorneys as compared to the general population. And, tragic cases like Diane Schuler have shown us that it’s not always the poor, lower class, single mom that gets into trouble with excessive drinking and drugs.

Alcohol abuse and misuse doesn’t discriminate. Period. Crossroads for Women holds an outpatient therapy group specifically for professional women in recovery. Find out more about the Professional Women’s Recovery Group and other therapy groups being offered in Maine (PDF)