A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of the Retrospective “Active Drinking Voices” of Two Types of Older Problem Drinkers, Now in Recovery

One-third of older problem drinkers are late-onset. So called, because their problem drinking emerges later in life, however, little is known about the epidemiology of the population's drinking behaviors. By identifying the psychosocial risk factors that inform the adverse changes in the group's drinking behavior, the article aims to contribute to a better understanding of why this subgroup of older individuals begin drinking problematically in later life. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, semistructured interviews were undertaken to investigate the retrospective, “active” drinking narratives of nine late-onset problem drinkers and nine early-onset problem drinkers; individuals who began drinking problematically much earlier in their lives. All the participants are in recovery and are ≥50 years old. The interviews, which took place toward the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, were undertaken online and are predominantly framed within a UK context. The group themes that emerged, highlighted that comorbid mental health problems were prevalent across both groups, however, difficulties with emotional regulation were more prevalent among the early-onset cohort. The late-onset participants’ narratives suggest that excessive alcohol consumption may be a coping mechanism for the multifarious issues, typically associated with ageing, particularly retirement or changes in employment status. Regardless of the many differences in psychosocial characteristics between the early- and late-onset cohorts, the consequences of their problem drinking were similar. Nonetheless, challenges to identity, the impact of major life events, and the role of meaning and purpose in life among the late-onset group, has implications for many “social drinkers” as they age, particularly those approaching retirement.