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Abstract
Background: In recent years there has been an exponential growth in the number of people accessing online discussion forums for information, advice and support in relation to a range of both acute and chronic health issues. However, there has been little attention given to exploring the role of alcohol-related forums in the United Kingdom. Methods: A total of 758 messages, retrieved from three public UK-based alcohol discussion forums were qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis. Results: An insight into the online experience of members was captured through three inter-related themes. The first theme “sharing” describes the process of disclosure and aspects of problem drinking, which were discussed by members. Second, the theme “supporting” identifies the ways through which members of the group engaged in mutually supportive communication. Thirdly, “sobriety” describes the collective goal for forum members and describes the challenges of achieving and maintaining this state. Conclusions: Participation in alcohol-related online discussion forums may confer some practical and emotional benefit for those living with alcohol-related problems. Future research is required to fully explore the nature and impact of peer support for this specific problem behaviour.