// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Women's alcohol deaths are increasing - my daughter died alone after fighting for decades
Paula Gibson with her daughter Clare, who had many stints in rehab throughout her life with addiction
The number of women who died last year in Scotland from alcohol-related illnesses was up by 3% on the year before, official figures show., external
Overall, the total number of people who died from alcohol-related conditions fell slightly, to the lowest rate since the pandemic. There were 1,152 alcohol-specific deaths registered in Scotland, a decrease of 3% compared with 2024.
The Scottish government said the drop amounted to progress and that it would invest £160m this year on alcohol and drugs programmes.
But one mother from Aberdeen whose daughter died alone after decades fighting alcoholism described her illness as "relentless" and said sometimes all the resources available are still not enough to beat it.
Paula Gibson's daughter Clare died in November 2023, aged 45, after spending the last 20 years of her life in and out of rehab. She had periods of sobriety, but ultimately died at home alone.
The 72-year-old said her daughter started struggling with alcohol in her early-20s but over the next decade her behaviour escalated, even with help and and interventions.
This led to Clare's parents taking custody of her youngest son, Craig, who was eight at the time.
"It probably took about 10 years of feeling like something wasn't quite right, while trying to support her through conversations, but it wasn't enough.
"Her behaviour was extreme and the impact it had on all of us was really difficult.