Twenty-four British Sikh wives of men with identified alcohol problems, plus ten of their husbands and seven of their daughters, were interviewed using a semistructured procedure that focused upon the ways in which wives and daughters had attempted to cope with their husbands'/fathers’ excessive drinking. In addition each completed the Coping Questionnaire (CQ) which has the same focus (husbands were instructed to indicate ways in which their wives had coped). Interview data were analyzed according to the grounded theory approach, and a model was constructed depicting the ways in which wives and daughters accommodated over time to the drinking problem. The general pattern was for inactive resignation (approved of by husbands/fathers), replaced by a phase during which wives and daughters stood up to their husbands/fathers in various ways (disapproved of), followed by active resignation and partial independence (also disapproved of). Despite the success that the women had achieved in being active in the face of men's excessive drinking, there remained a commitment on the part of wives to continue to care domestically for their husbands (and a similar commitment on the part of daughters to support their mothers); and CQ scores showed wives to have higher engaged and tolerant coping scores than a comparison sample of white British wives. The results have implications for service providers—for example, in recognizing the oversimplicity of some stereotypes about how Sikh women cope with their menfolk's drinking.

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The aim of this study was to explore young people’s experiences of the role and the processes underpinning the use of alcohol and/or other substances in attempts to end their life. Seven young people, aged 16–25 years old, were interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse these interviews and develop an understanding of how young people understand their attempted suicide in the context of alcohol and/or other substance use. The analysis identified four superordinate themes reflecting young people’s experiences across the seven interviews. Superordinate themes included: i) The complexity of relationships; ii) The double-edged sword of alcohol and substance use; iii) The straw that broke the camel’s back; and iv) Reflecting on the on-going processes of recovery. The results of this study highlight the complex and multifaceted functions of the consumption of alcohol, and other drugs, in the experiences of young people attempting suicide. Young people described a number of inter and intrapersonal factors which impact upon their suicidal experiences including suicidal ideation and attempts. Participants reported using alcohol and substances as methods of coping with distress, low mood, hearing voices, anxiety and mania. However they also reflected on the impact that this has on their own suicidal ideation and attempts.

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