This is my way of Drinking: A Scoping Review of how Individuals Narrate Their Alcohol-Related Problems

Aim The aim of this scoping review is to identify and describe patterns in personal narratives about the development of alcohol-related problems as presented in scientific health literature. Methods A systematic scoping review approach was applied to map and synthesize narrative patterns across the included studies. In total, 45 eligible studies were examined to capture how individuals describe the development of alcohol-related problems in health research. Results Across the studies, four major narrative categories were identified: (1) Drinking as a way of coping with difficult thoughts; (2) Drinking as rooted in the body, the genes and the personality; (3) Drinking as a reaction to a stressful situation; and (4) Drinking as a cultural practice or habit. Conclusion The findings illustrate the complexity and variability of reasons behind alcohol-related problems. They highlight the importance of interventions that are sensitive to personal narratives, subjective experiences, and the diverse pathways leading to alcohol-related problems.