Finances are often one of the biggest stressors in a relationship, and if you add alcohol into the mix, finances can become even more volatile. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including overspending at the bar or grocery store, spending money on hangover cures and cab fares, and making irresponsible financial decisions when under the influence. Drinking can lead to even more serious financial consequences if an individual loses their job, or gets into legal trouble due to their drinking. When you begin to rethink your relationship with alcohol, your friends and family may not be on board — especially if those are some of the people that you used to drink with.
Ways to reduce the effects of alcohol on your relationship
By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines moderate drinking as two or fewer drinks in a day for men and one or less in a day for women. Excessive (binge) drinking is defined as four or more drinks on a single occasion for women and five or more drinks on a single occasion for men.
Discuss issues when you’re sober, not when you’ve been drinking
Many also offer training on how to assist a loved one with coming to grips with the condition and facing the problems that now plague the family, business or relationship. 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 how does alcohol affect relationships time to seek help. While casual to moderate drinking may be a part of life for some, excessive or chronic alcohol consumption can significantly impact your body and long-term health. When you use alcohol to relax or reward yourself, it creates a strong association in your brain between alcohol and pleasure.
How to Get Help When Drinking Is Affecting Your Relationship?
At least that’s how many used to think about recovery from alcohol use disorder. But these days, you don’t have to lose it all or label yourself an “alcoholic” in order to re-evaluate https://ecosoberhouse.com/ whether your relationship with alcohol is having a positive impact on your life. Excessive drinking can lead to arguments, aggression, infidelity, and emotional distance.
Build a network of support
This requires the person to take in ever-greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel the same effects. The psychological effects of this alcohol tolerance and dependency may cause the sufferer to become withdrawn and less supportive of colleagues, friends and family members. Sufferers may no longer attend social functions that do not allow drinking and may not be fully aware of their behavior if attending functions where their drug of choice is allowed.
How Drinking Alcohol, Regularly and to Excess May Affect Relationships
Or do you feel like you can’t seem to have a single good day anymore, no matter how hard you try? 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. It is important to remember that recovery from long-term alcohol abuse is a process that requires patience, commitment, and support from loved ones. By seeking help together and prioritizing open communication, couples can navigate the challenges of long-term alcohol abuse and build stronger relationships.
Codependency and Abuse
- Too much drinking can lead to less time spent together—and the time you do spend together can feel less meaningful.
- 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.
- In the United States, over 84% of adults report drinking alcohol at least once in their lifetime.