I skuggan av den andres kamp : En kvalitativ analys av anhörigas upplevelser och copingstrategier i relation till att vara närstående till någon med alkoholberoende

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study was to explore psychological and social psychological mechanisms, as well as coping strategies, in the everyday lives of adults with close ties to individuals with alcohol dependence. To address this aim, the study examined how adults with close ties to individuals with alcohol dependence describe their experiences in an online forum and how they perceive different coping strategies as either helpful or complicating their situation. The study was conducted using a qualitative method in which threads from an online forum were analyzed through thematic analysis. The material was interpreted using the theoretical frameworks of stigma, the transactional stress and coping model, and the sunk cost fallacy. The findings showed that adults with close ties to individuals with alcohol dependence experienced feelings of guilt and shame, powerlessness and hopelessness, ambivalence, and insecurity. Several coping strategies were identified, including boundary-setting, control behaviours, withdrawing, venting, recovery and self-care, as well as seeking instrumental and emotional support. The results indicated that instrumental and emotional support, venting, recovery, and self-care were perceived as helpful strategies in managing their situation. Boundary-setting, control behaviours, and withdrawing functioned as coping strategies that provided short-term relief or temporary changes in the situation; however, the circumstances remained unpredictable and were associated with ongoing emotional strain characterized by insecurity, mistrust, guilt, and social isolation.