Introduction: In the Brazilian context, significant and progressive consumption of alcohol and other drugs is observed in all social classes, this practice is considered one of the main factors that affect the health of the population. Thus, the aim of this study is to understand the meaning of men's memory about living with habitual alcohol consumption. Method: Qualitative, exploratory study, based on thematic oral history. Six alcoholic men residing in the interior of Bahia collaborated with the study, four users of a Psychosocial Care Center for alcohol and other drugs and two residents in a peripheral community, served by a Family Health Strategy team. The memories were evoked using the semi-structured interview technique between April and June 2019. The content of the oral reports was analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: Employees referred to habitual alcohol consumption as a consolidated process throughout life, started, early, in childhood and adolescence, until it became addictive. In adulthood, negative impacts were noticeable in family dynamics, in the world of work, in finances, in behavior, in the perception of others and in self-perception. The life trajectory with alcohol resulted in an old age devoid of projects and without family ties. Conclusions: Taking the oral reports of alcoholic men participating in this study as a starting point, the meanings attributed to alcoholism were associated with interpersonal relationships, traversing a trajectory of family and social inclusion, exclusion and ambiguous feelings of contentment, suffering.

Introduction: Alcohol abuse is present in the family and conjugal life of many Brazilians, with the main drinker being the man. Living with alcoholics implies a breakdown in affective relationships, which can be experienced through violence and overload to women. Thus, this study aims to analyze the meaning of the memory of women living with an alcoholic partner. Method: This study is a qualitative, descriptive research, based on the Oral History of Life, carried out from April to October 2019, with five women spouses / ex spouses of alcoholics, in the interior of Bahia, Brazil. The experiences were collected through semi-structured interviews recorded and transcribed, analyzed through thematic content analysis. Results: Women's memories produced two thematic categories, The Past: challenges in conjugal coexistence; The Present: experience of resilience and empowerment. Women perceived their partners' alcohol dependence late, experiencing behavior changes in their partners, followed by experiences of domestic violence, resulting in impacts on their mental health. Religion was present in the moral options of life that guided women resilience and empowerment. Conclusions: It is noteworthy that women realized late that alcohol abuse contributed to their partner's aggressive behaviors. Thus, domestic violence suffered by women produced the appearance of signs of anxiety and depression. Finally, living with an alcoholic partner provided women with not only illness, but also contributed to resilience and empowerment in decision-making.