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. Participants also cited high levels of conflict and arguing, another significant contributor to divorce, according to research from 2017. Alcohol can affect relationships in various ways, and this can look different for each person. Drinking is often an enjoyable part of many different social activities. But for many people, it can also be a source of conflict in their relationships. The reason drinking can become a problem is because of how alcohol affects the brain.
The effects of alcohol on relationships are both immediate and long-term. In the short term, you might notice increased arguments, broken promises, and a general sense of walking on eggshells. Long-term, the consequences can include financial hardship, legal problems, domestic violence, and the development of codependent behaviors that persist even after the drinking stops. Below, we offer seven signs that may indicate you and/or your partner’s drinking has become unhealthy. However, it’s important to remember that warning signs will not look the same in each relationship. Sometimes you will simply have to trust your intuition that something feels wrong.
But building time for leisure into your schedule could be key to how to tell when alcohol is affecting your relationships helping you feel your best. And when you feel better, you’ll perform better, which means leisure time may make your work more efficient. One study found that combining walking and relaxation could be a particularly effective way to reduce stress.
Lifestyle
There are numerous support groups available to help people affected by alcohol addiction. For example, Al-Anon provides support group meetings, where loved ones of people with alcohol addiction can share their experiences and learn from others facing the same challenges. If you are the one having a hard time giving up alcohol, you may benefit from attending an AA meeting to gain support and help you stop drinking. Healthy relationships often involve healthy sex lives, and in the most stable relationships, people are usually on the same page about how often they want to be having sex. Unfortunately, when people drink more, they find that their sex drive drops dramatically.
#5. Drinking Affects Your Sex Life
In that moment, my instinct was to seek solace in alcohol, not realizing that drinking was the very thing dulling my ability to connect with my audience and, by extension, the people closest to me. Let’s not drink tonight,” and I would become what he later described as “irrationally upset.” At the time, I couldn’t understand my own reaction. Looking back, I realize alcohol had become so intertwined with my ability to relax and connect that the thought of an evening without it felt impossible to navigate. Sober Speak is a recovery-focused podcast and online community dedicated to sharing people’s experiences, strengths, and hope in long-term sobriety and early recovery.
- It can involve imagining yourself being in your “happy place”—maybe picturing yourself sitting on a beach, listening to the waves, smelling the ocean, and feeling the warm sand underneath you.
- They might also become hypervigilant about their parents’ moods and drinking patterns, developing anxiety and emotional problems as a result of living in an unpredictable environment.
- For example, those who exercise or meditate regularly tend to become less stressed in the face of a difficult challenge.
- Maybe you plan to stop after one or two drinks but regularly find yourself continuing.
These issues can affect employment opportunities, housing options, and family stability for years to come. 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. The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper offers comprehensive addiction treatment for drug and alcohol addictions and co-occurring mental health conditions.
The White Chip in AA: Your First Step Toward Recovery and the Sacred Beginning of Sobriety
- Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress.
- In fact, one Swedish study of over 670,000 people found that alcohol use disorder was linked to a higher likelihood of divorce.
- Relationships should bring a sense of comfort and security, and provide more happiness than distress.
- The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper provides comprehensive alcohol addiction treatment led by licensed medical professionals to those in the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas.
- The good news is that recovery is possible, both for people with alcohol use disorder and for their loved ones.
A detox program can provide medical support and medications to keep you as safe and comfortable as possible as your body withdraws from alcohol. Often people will notice that they are fighting more with their partner when either or both of the individuals have developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Also, if you’re fighting when you are drinking, you may say or do things that you will regret or that you would not do if you were sober. How alcohol affects relationships extends far beyond romantic partnerships. When you stop drinking, you often discover that alcohol was influencing your connections across all areas of life.
The Impact on Different Types of Relationships
One of the most sneaky ways alcohol affects relationships is through what I call “pseudo-intimacy.” After a few drinks, conversations might feel deeper, more meaningful, more connected. But alcohol-enhanced interactions often lack the genuine vulnerability and authentic communication that builds lasting bonds. Maybe there’s tension with your partner that you can’t quite put your finger on, or conversations with friends seem to end in misunderstandings more often than they used to. Perhaps family gatherings feel more challenging, or you find yourself pulling away from the people who matter most.
Alcohol and domestic violence
Whether your loved one chooses recovery or not, you can take steps to improve your own life and well-being. It’s important to recognize that alcohol addiction often co-occurs with other mental health disorders. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health concerns are common among people with substance use disorders. This dual diagnosis situation requires specialized treatment that addresses both conditions simultaneously. The financial hardship that often accompanies alcohol addiction can put enormous strain on relationships.
Curious about all the amazing benefits a break from alcohol can bring?
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone, and you might be surprised to discover how alcohol affects relationships in ways we rarely consider. Trust is rebuilt slowly, through consistent actions over time rather than promises or words. Young people who grow up in families affected by alcohol addiction face unique challenges. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has identified specific risk factors and protective factors that can influence whether these individuals develop their own substance abuse problems. For family members, Al-Anon family groups provide similar support and structure.
Each time you practice, however, you should experience a feeling of relaxation sweeping through your body. Meditation can provide short-term stress relief and lasting stress management benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try, each unique and appealing.
Problem drinking and relationship troubles can have a reciprocal effect on each other. How much you drink, and your overall drinking habits, may be a source of conflict with some people in your life. This is referred to as problem-focused coping (as opposed to emotion-focused coping). Problem-focused coping involves taking steps to remove the stressor from your life (as opposed to changing how you feel about the stressor). With practice, you’ll learn to recognize tension and tightness in your muscles, and you’ll be able to relax more easily.
Treatment centers often incorporate family therapy into their programs, recognizing that healing the family system is essential for long-term recovery success. These sessions can help family members understand addiction as a disease, learn healthier ways of communicating, and address the trauma and resentment that have built up over time. Medical detox might be necessary for people with severe alcohol dependence, as withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening. A comprehensive treatment plan typically includes individual therapy, group therapy, education about addiction, and often medication to help manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Alcohol addiction leads to compulsive alcohol use, so alcohol can quickly become the most important thing in your life. If you’d rather go out drinking than spend time with your partner, alcohol is probably ruining 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.
Research has also shown that grateful people enjoy better mental health, lower stress, and a better quality of life. Aromatherapy has real benefits for stress relief—it can help you to feel energized, more relaxed, or more present in the moment. Yoga combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing—all of which provide excellent stress relief.
