Substance abuse affects African American women at an increasingly alarming rate. The interaction of substance abuse and traumatic events requires exploration. For many African American women, early life trauma plays a critical role in how and when they fall victim to the ravages of substance abuse. This article aboutaphenomenological study ofi SAfrican American women uses intense narratives to disclose experiences of incest, rape, abuse, and other horrors that led to drug and alcohol use to extinguish pain. The themes includefamily history ofsubstance abuse, lack of a caring childhood environment, pain resulting from trauma, and coping and recovery. The womens'stories provide insightsfor nurses in practice and research related to the psychosocial health of women.
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