Total alcohol per capita consumption in 2016 among male and female drinkers worldwide was on average 19.4 litres of pure alcohol for males and 7.0 litres for females. Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with alcohol and relationships dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences.
- Yet, every relationship is certainly different, and domestic violence doesn’t always look the same.
- Individual and couples therapy can equip you with the perspective, tools, and resources you need to embrace a healthier relationship with yourself, your partner, and alcohol.
- But the reality is that not even the person dependent on alcohol can control their drinking, try as they may.
- However, for someone with an alcohol dependence, that expectation may turn out to be unreasonable.
Take the first step
- Instead of trying to solve issues while under the influence, it’s OK to take a step back and address it at a later time, when you’re sober.
- 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.
- Binging was higher in women, sending twice as many to the emergency room during the pandemic than before.
- When someone is dependent on alcohol, they will become increasingly unavailable as alcohol takes more of a priority.
That’s why Flagg advises planning and encouraging other social activities that don’t include alcohol. Research has shown that excessive alcohol use can lead to serious family consequences, including intimate partner violence and even divorce. 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. According to the study, women who had partners that drank more experienced more intimacy but more conflict in their relationships, while men who drank at higher levels had more distrust of their partners. But this study was limited to couples in sub-Saharan Africa, and more research is needed.
Questioning Your Relationship with Alcohol? Here’s What to Do Next
Healing relationships can take time, so be patient with yourself and your loved ones. Using resources offered by a family therapist and support groups like AA can help with taking action steps toward healing relationships. Many peer support organizations offer resources for rebuilding and healing relationships.
Signs that alcohol may be negatively impacting your relationships
If you look at the impact alcohol is having on your life and decide that there are still some benefits even among the consequences, that’s an important step in recognizing how your relationship with alcohol is working overall. A therapist can offer assistance with devising a self-care plan and coach you on setting boundaries that align with your needs. But they can also help you identify any key signs suggesting it’s time to consider leaving the relationship, if only temporarily. Self-care includes setting healthy boundaries with your partner around behaviors you will and won’t accept, says Flagg. While it’s natural to feel upset as you experience the consequences of your partner’s drinking, Nelson encourages cultivating a sense of compassion for any pain they may be dealing with.
What is considered 1 drink?
If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person. People may develop a maladjustment to a loved one’s drinking that causes them to enable it through the process of caring for it. Individuals who misuse alcohol experience physical impairments that can draw others into caring for them. While some individuals may be able to resist the urge to help, many will not, especially spouses, children, and other family members or concerned individuals in the person’s immediate environment. In outpatient programs, you live a home while receiving many of the same services offered in inpatient treatment, such as individual and group therapy. 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.
If someone is in bed hungover, or unable to attend to family responsibilities due to being ill, this will negatively affect the relationship and can build resentment. Sometimes, this is due to self-medicating or the behaviors that happen when one is drunk. For example, someone may become impulsive, angry, paranoid, or depressed when drinking, leading to them saying or doing things that significantly affect themselves or the relationship. Alcohol can affect our relationships in all sorts of ways and can have a negative impact on our own health and wellbeing and that of those we love. 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.
Common signs of abusive behavior in a partner include:
Beau Nelson, LCSW, Chief Clinical Officer at FHE Health, notes that Al-Anon meetings can often help you reframe your role in your partner’s recovery journey. Erika Dalton,LMSW, Creekside Recovery Residences and Buckhead Behavioral Health therapist and case manager, adds that AUD can also raise your chances of relationship codependency. This dysfunctional dynamic happens when one partner begins to sacrifice their needs to better prioritize what they think their partner needs. Of course, not everyone who drinks alcohol frequently or regularly will meet criteria for AUD. 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. The 8 strategies below offer a starting place for navigating your relationship with a spouse or partner who has AUD.