Alcohol can change the way that people interact with each other, sometimes in negative ways. He is also a clinical psychologist at CRUX Psychology, a Canadian-based psychology practice offering online and in person services. Take our short alcohol quiz to how to wean off alcohol learn where you fall on the drinking spectrum and if you might benefit from quitting or cutting back on alcohol. Alcohol use disorder is a complex condition that can wreak havoc on relationships.
Signs Alcohol Is Hurting Your Relationship
If you think alcohol may be affecting your relationships, it might be a good idea to consider speaking with a healthcare or mental health professional. They can help determine whether what you’re experiencing is alcohol use disorder and recommend further evaluation or treatment if necessary. As you spend more time together, you’ll share more experiences and environments, likely impacted by each other’s drinking habits. If your relationship involves heavy drinking and your sex life is suffering, alcohol may be to blame.
Peers can provide advice and comfort to help one another through tough times. Even when you have a strong connection with your significant other, your feelings can be reduced due to a strong need and desire to drink. For example, if you’ve forgotten important dates due to drinking or canceled plans from a severe hangover, your drinking may be causing relationship problems. Addiction can cause you to value spending money on alcohol instead of prioritizing financial health for yourself and your family. People who are clinically alcohol dependent can die if they suddenly, completely stop drinking.
How Do Romantic Partners Affect Alcohol Use and Misuse?
A 2018 study found that in children with a strong family history of alcohol use disorder, the chance of developing substance use issues was higher. But there are ways you can recognize when alcohol might be negatively affecting your relationships — and when it may be time to get help. Results showed that in dating or marriage, your romantic partner does have a small yet meaningful impact on your alcohol use. For instance, a worried husband may voice his concerns when he sees his wife pouring wine after work every day. And when this dynamic is present in your relationship, it can lead to frequent, full-blown arguments about alcohol use. Too much drinking can lead to less time spent together—and the time you do spend together can feel less meaningful.
A partner of someone addicted to alcohol may believe they’re helping the other person by enabling the addiction to continue. In reality, they’re doing it for themselves while encouraging an unhealthy dynamic. what is drinker’s nose We also draw attention to some red flags that your drinking may have become unhealthy, and provide next steps for making a change.
Try to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume a day
The negative effects of heavy alcohol use typically aren’t limited to just the person drinking. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of the symptoms of alcohol use disorder, one how to quid salvia of the biggest indicators is that alcohol is having a significantly negative impact on your life and your relationships with others. The survey results showed that people in committed relationships who use alcohol during intimacy were more likely to be sexually aggressive toward their intimate partners.
Addiction Treatment Programs
If you’re not sure how much alcohol is too much, consider following the recommended Dietary Guidelines for Americans of 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men. Alcohol can negatively impact a relationship to the point of breakup or divorce. Alcohol can greatly increase the chance of aggressive behavior in some people and often plays a role in intimate partner violence.
It’s never too early to reflect on your relationship with alcohol or seek outside guidance. Relationship problems are a common byproduct of alcohol addiction, though there are several ways to combat it. Professionals can provide family support for loved ones affected by addiction and help individuals reach recovery at the same time. After all, partners and families are part of the journey and deserve help returning to normalcy.
Know the Signs
Keep reading to learn about the connection between alcohol addiction and relationships and how to prevent or manage relationship issues caused by a drinking problem. There’s no shame in needing outside support to help you change your drinking habits. In fact, experts advise that the more resources you engage with, the more likely you are to achieve long-term success. At Monument, we offer treatment options like medication to stop drinking and virtual alcohol therapy. You also join moderated alcohol support groups and our anonymous community forum. Our highly qualified professionals are prepared to help you address your drinking and get you on the road to a happier and healthier life with strong personal relationships.
Regardless of whether the person is high-functioning, alcohol addiction is a severe disease. Getting professional help is the best way to combat addiction’s mental, emotional, physical and social problems. Even if you believe your partner is more important than any substance, your actions will likely prove otherwise if you have alcohol use disorder.
- Alcohol can affect not only your ability to be intimate with your partner but also the way you interact with your partner sexually, according to a 2020 study.
- Problem drinking and relationship troubles can have a reciprocal effect on each other.
- Or do you feel like you can’t seem to have a single good day anymore, no matter how hard you try?
- While alcohol can negatively impact your relationship, it’s important to remember that we are not our drinking habits.
One place to start is with your doctor, who can help you come up with a plan. Marriages and long-term committed partnerships are at higher risk of breaking up when alcohol is a problem in the relationship—especially when one partner has an alcohol misuse problem and the other doesn’t. Alcohol is often a contributing factor in intimate partner violence, child abuse, and child neglect (3). On the other hand, you may use alcohol to try to manage the stress and challenging emotions that arise as a result of relationship troubles. Nearly a third of U.S. adults have a period of problem drinking at some point during their lives (1).
Participants were asked to specify their age, ethnicity, academic status, sexual orientation, whether they were currently living with their dating partner, and length of their current dating relationship. Participants completed all measures through an online survey website that uses encryption to ensure confidentiality of responses. Participants completed an informed consent prior to completing measures for the current study, which was also provided online.