’’Vi är nog många som lever i skam, skuld och tystnad’’ : En kvalitativ dokumentstudie om partners till personer med alkoholberoende

Sammanfattning: This research explored how partners of alcohol addicts articulate experiences of guilt and shame. The method chosen for this qualitative study was a document analysis of an online internet forum specialised in supporting relatives of alcohol addicts. The collected data included 20 distinct forum threads and the data was analysed using Becker’s labelling theory and Goffman’s stigma theory. This study identified three levels of guilt and shame in partners of alcohol addicts’ posts. They entailed shaming and blaming by their partners, shaming and blaming in a social context and feelings of self-blame and shame. Further, the study indicated that partners of alcohol addicts deal with guilt and shame by social isolation, concealment of partner’s addiction and engaging in online support communities. Results also revealed an association between feelings of guilt and shame and the resulting social exclusion and stigmatisation.