[The meaning of suffering by women who live with an alcoholic husband]

The objective of the present study is to ascertain and analyze the understanding that the wives of alcoholic husbands have about life. A descriptive and exploratory qualitative methodological approach was employed. Data were collected from six Colombian women on the basis of semi-structured interviews and observation. Qualitative contents analysis was applied to the data. The material obtained thereby was classified into categories that indicate that the dominant meaning of "suffering", attributed by the women, is determined by the social and cultural environment, reflecting their cultural values and behaviors.