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Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, potentially fatal disease that crosses gender, race, age, and socioeconomic strata. Much of what is known about the disease and process of recovery from alcoholism has been uncovered studying male alcoholics. A phenomenological study was undertaken to identify those contextual factors that foster and hinder the process of recovery from alcoholism for alcoholic women. Criteria for participation in the study were: women self-identifying as recovering from alcoholism, aged 25 and older, able to converse in English, and abstinent from alcohol use for a mininum of two years. Eleven women (6 Caucasians, 4 African-Americans, 8 heterosexuals, and three lesbians) were recruited by networking. The women ranged in age from 32 to 76 years of age and had been in recovery from 2 to 37 years. Data were collected through individual audiotape recorded interviews that lasted approximately 45 minutes and were transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed according to Van Manen and revealed the factors that fostered recovery were: Working a Program of Recovery, Developing a Support Systen, Making Amends to Others for Past Behaviors, Recognizing Recovery as a Life-Long Process, and Helping other Alcoholic Women Struggling in Recovery. Those identified factors that hindered the process of recovery were: Everyday Stress, Feeling Stigmatized by Others Because of being Alcoholic, and Painful Abusive Childhood Memories.
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