Given the impact caused by alcohol to individual and collective health, we reflect that in the society to which we belong, a series of repercussions involving the female gender with regard to mental health may be revealed. The main objective in this study is to capture from the speech of alcoholics the meanings of the feminine and their interface with mental health. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, involving 20 Alcoholics Anonymous participants from Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The data was collected through individual interviews using semi-structured questions and analyzed according to the content analysis method. From such research, the following meanings emerged: social support; suffering and illness; passiveness; and submission to the male. The study concludes that perceived senses constitute relevant factors in the patterns of health risks. It is also noted that social processes related to the female gender cause repercussions in mental health.
Alcoholism; Women; Mental health
