Women in Recovery from Alcoholism: The Place of Leisure

There have been a variety of studies that have examined the experiences of women in recovery from alcoholism and other addictions. However, few of these studies have investigated the role of leisure in the recovery process of women. It is generally accepted that women have a different experience of both addiction/recovery, and leisure, than do men. Consequently, the purpose of this project was to examine the recovery related experiences of women in recovery from alcoholism, with a particular emphasis on leisure. The data from an indepth case study of three women, conducted over a six-month period, who had formed their own support network, were examined using a feminist interpretive approach. The results indicated that these women found leisure involvement to be critical to their moving beyond just "not drinking" toward true recovery. However, they stated that, for them, learning how to experience leisure without the mediation of alcohol was extremely difficult. In spite of this difficulty, they undertook the challenge of learning about leisure as they began to recognize its benefits in rebuilding a nonalcoholic identity and a meaningful life. Specifically, they found that leisure involvement allowed them to (a) learn about themselves, (b) learn how to accept and appreciate their various attributes and limitations, and (c) take risks as another means of developing self-awareness.