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 how long does ecstasy last some point during their lives (1). It’s quite common for alcohol to become a flash point in relationships. The negative effects of heavy alcohol use typically aren’t limited to just the person drinking.
If so, it may be time to consider how alcohol is impacting your relationship. By taking a closer look, you might find that you or your partner’s drinking habits are at the core of many of your disagreements. If you experience the above warning signs or people in your life express concern about your drinking and its effects on your relationships, it’s time to seek help. Intercourse is a form of intimacy, and alcohol addiction can negatively impact this aspect of a relationship by disrupting normal body processes. It can contribute to sexual dysfunction, thereby impacting the quality of sexual intimacy between partners.
When paired with problems that can also arise from excessive alcohol use, drinking can sometimes negatively affect our relationships with the people closest to us. If your partner is drinking, you may feel pressured to conform and fit in. As you spend more time together, you’ll share more experiences and environments, likely impacted by each other’s drinking habits. When it comes to how alcohol affects relationships, you might notice more lying or deception from yourself or your spouse.
How Alcohol Can Negatively Affect Relationships
Most people know that drinking too much can harm your mental and physical health. But alcohol abuse can also hurt the relationships you hold dearest to you—especially the connection between you and your romantic partner. People in relationships often share homes and short- and long-term goals, engage with one another daily, provide emotional, mental, and financial support, and care for one another.
Whether one partner drinks too much or both partners do, alcohol problems can lead to increased arguments, hurt feelings, and emotional distance in a relationship. Getting help for alcohol addiction will not only improve your relationships, it can also start you on your path toward a healthier, addiction-free future. There is a direct correlation between alcohol use in relationships and the quality of intimacy among partners. More specifically, the severity of relationship distress is influenced by alcohol consumption by one (or both) people’s alcohol consumption.
And even if both parties drink together, they might only feel a sense of connection while the alcohol is involved. This can lead to reduced intimacy and a disconnect in the relationship as a whole. When you’re in a relationship with someone who drinks too much, their behavior can be hard to cope with. And when you’re the one with a drinking problem, it can be tough to recognize the harm you’re causing and make a change.
- To the loved ones of someone with a drinking problem, it might always look like the alcohol comes first.
- Alcohol has the potential to change a person’s personality in huge ways.
- Alcohol can affect relationships in various ways, and this can look different for each person.
- Too much drinking can lead to less time spent together—and the time you do spend together can feel less meaningful.
How much you drink, and your overall drinking habits, may be a source of conflict with some people in your life. Infidelity is another factor that contributes to the quality of intimacy in a relationship. Not only does infidelity break the bond of trust between partners, but it can also be a contributing drinking alcohol with covid-19 factor to divorce. Research shows that individuals with AUD are more likely to engage in infidelity than those without AUD. Alcohol use has the potential to affect any close relationships in your life, including those with romantic partners, as those in relationships are inextricably linked.
Alcoholism is a family disease and can drastically affect the lives of everyone around you. It can significantly impact your relationships compare sober homes with others and ruin them beyond repair. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.
How Alcohol Affects Relationships
You may want to seek therapy or attend a support group for family members of alcoholics such as Al-Anon or Alateen. These groups provide emotional support and the opportunity to learn from those who have faced similar challenges. Also, consider setting boundaries to ensure your own physical and mental health. Try not to enable their behavior by bailing them out or making excuses for them. People who consume alcohol regularly can develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD).
Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. If you feel like alcohol has been affecting your relationships, consider reaching out for help so that you can be your best self for the people around you. 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. A 2018 study found that alcohol had negative effects on both partners in a relationship for different reasons.
How to Tell When Alcohol Is Affecting Your Relationships
This codependency can quickly become toxic, leading to harmful ups and downs for both people involved. Ian Landau is a journalist who’s written extensively about health and wellness since 2010. He is also the author of The Hypochondriac’s Handbook (Skyhorse, 2010).
Men who drink too much may have trouble getting and maintaining an erection. Over an extended period of time, drinking too much can lead to impotence in men and impaired fertility in women. All of these factors make it much more likely you’ll engage in activities that cause conflict within relationships. April Eldemire, LMFT, is a psychotherapist who specializes in marriage and couples issues, new-parenthood transitions and blended family dynamics.
When your partner struggles with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), it impacts the entire family unit as well as the day-to-day functioning of the household. Alcohol and alcoholism affect our romantic relationships, social lives, and mental health and vice versa. To treat and overcome alcoholism, it’s essential to address not only your alcohol use but also the alcohol use of your partner. Their support can make or break your progress as you move forward in your healing journey. 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.
Not necessarily, but it’s important to understand how alcohol can affect people and the way they relate to others. Doing so will help you reduce the risk of beer, wine, or liquor degrading the health of your relationship. Being in a relationship with someone with alcohol use disorder can be challenging. Your husband may pick fights with you when he drinks or you’re no longer as intimate as you were before. You may feel like alcohol has ruined your relationship or is the cause of your divorce. Alcohol has the potential to change a person’s personality in huge ways.
The good news is that cutting back on your consumption offers far more benefits than the challenges it may present . And just imagine how nice it would be to never have to live through another hangover. Given that alcohol can contribute to all these issues, it’s likely that alcohol use has the potential to lead to separation issues in some couples. A 2013 study found that of the 52 people who participated, over 34 of them (that’s more than 60%) noted that substance use was a factor for separation.
In dating and marriage, we share experiences, friends, and social events with our significant others. Research shows that our social circles have a significant influence on alcoholism. Alcohol is often a contributing factor in intimate partner violence, child abuse, and child neglect (3).