How Alcohol Affects Relationships

If you feel like alcohol addiction is affecting your relationship, it’s important to know that help is available. Alcohol consumption is a common factor in situations where domestic violence (DV) has occurred. When a person is intoxicated, their emotions, judgment, and decision-making are impaired.

It can help to start by recognizing that terms like “alcoholic” and “alcoholism” are both outdated, inaccurate ways to describe alcohol use disorder (AUD). This shift in language reflects current awareness of AUD as a mental health condition, not a personal choice. Regardless of whether the person is high-functioning, alcohol addiction is a severe disease.

All the References in Taylor Swift’s Title Track ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Alcohol misuse can have a serious detrimental impact on the health and well-being of individuals as well as their families. Getting treatment is essential and can help people begin to recover their normal functioning and improve relationships with their partners, children, and other loved ones. 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. https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-alcohol-can-affect-relationships/ They can help determine whether what you’re experiencing is alcohol use disorder and recommend further evaluation or treatment if necessary. In addition to self-care, partners of those affected by alcohol addiction can intervene by helping them find rehabilitation services. While it can be challenging to convince a loved one to seek professional help, identifying how sobriety would benefit their lives can often help them take that first step.

• This includes the surprise end of her six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn, which was announced in April 2023, and her controversial fling with The 1975’s Matty Healy the following month.
• With that in mind, here are some things to consider as you move forward on this journey.
• Regardless of whether the person is high-functioning, alcohol addiction is a severe disease.
• But if you’re new to sober curiosity, you may not know where to begin thinking about your relationship with alcohol.

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. Drinking problems can adversely change marital and family functioning, but they may also increase due to family problems. Taylor started her relationship with NFL tight end Travis Kelce a few weeks after her and Matty’s split, and the two are currently still together and looked seriously loved up during a recent appearance at Coachella. In fact, the star was accused of doubling down on her decision to date Matty amid the backlash. Just days after his comments about masturbating to “brutalized” Black women resurfaced, she made the uncharacteristic decision to reference her personal life during her Eras Tour show.

Addiction Destroys Dreams, We Can Help

“Blaming yourself for your partner’s drinking will cause undue feelings of guilt and shame,” explains Dalton. You wouldn’t blame yourself if your partner had cancer, heart disease, or arthritis, would you? In a similar vein, try to keep in mind that your partner’s AUD isn’t your fault — no matter what type of conflict or other challenges you’ve faced in your relationship. Because alcohol use can also exaggerate emotional states while decreasing self-awareness, it may also lead to problematic behavior, including verbal aggression, according to Metcalf. Even if your partner blacked out and doesn’t remember treating you this way, this behavior still counts as abuse. Above all, it can help to recognize that your partner didn’t choose to have AUD.

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 problems can quickly damage relationships, though it’s often more challenging to determine whether you have one if you’re dealing with an addiction. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent alcohol from altering your relationships is to recognize the beginning signs and stages of addiction. Even if you believe your partner is more important than any substance, your actions will likely prove otherwise if you have alcohol use disorder.

Ways to reduce the effects of alcohol on your relationship

Heavy drinking affects the mind and body, and the one struggling is often the last to recognize the damage’s extent. Alcohol use disorder severely impacts an individual’s personality and, as a result, can make them unrecognizable from the person they were before they started drinking. People with alcohol addiction often become secretive over time to hide their dependence out of fear, shame or guilt. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration notes that families that are affected by alcohol problems have high levels of confusion and stress. This can make children who grow up in such environments more susceptible to substance use and other mental health problems.

Keep in mind, too, that therapists typically don’t recommend couples counseling for relationships that involve any kind of abuse. When discussing treatment options, aim for a time when they’re sober, alert, and at ease. You might introduce this topic while relaxing on Saturday afternoon, for example, not right before bed after a long and stressful workday. Learning to recognize the signs of AUD is an important first step, says Spotorno, because it can make it easier to identify when they may need professional help.

How Alcohol Affects Families

If you’ve attempted to cut back on alcohol but were unable to do so, it’s possible that you need professional help to help you stop drinking. If you can’t imagine socializing without a drink in your hand, just know that you’re not the only one to feel this way. It’s OK — and, in fact, very normal — if you’re feeling ambivalent about changing your relationship with alcohol, says Ellinwood.

• Research shows that our social circles have a significant influence on alcoholism.
• 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.
• Because alcohol heightens emotions and makes it harder to read emotional cues from others, it’s more likely that drinking will magnify feelings of jealousy.
• People who find themselves in a romantic relationship with someone struggling with alcoholism may end up making excuses for their lack of attendance or improper conduct at social functions.

Adverse health impacts and social harm from a given level and pattern of drinking are greater for poorer societies. 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. Nearly a third of U.S. adults have a period of problem drinking https://ecosoberhouse.com/ at some point during their lives (1). Being able to say no to alcohol when you don’t want to drink, requires a few simple phrases you can say in a pinch. One-liners like “I’m driving,” “No, thanks, I just finished one,” and “I’ve had my limit for tonight,” can help you avoid giving in to the pressure to drink when you’re trying to cut back.