5 Reasons Your Drinking Destroyed Your Relationship

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. Infidelity is another factor that contributes to the quality of intimacy in a relationship.

Drinking alcohol can impact your mood and behavior, making it appear as though your core personality has changed. If you’re able to reduce your drinking, your brain function may recover in the first few months, he says. But for some people, memory issues and other deficits may be long lasting. But, in any case, there’s no doubt that alcohol can have an impact on how your brain functions, both in the short-term and the long-term.

Alcohol and Children

If you have alcohol dependence, it can be unsafe to suddenly stop drinking. Talk to your doctor and work out a plan to safely lower your alcohol consumption. You might notice certain times of how does alcohol affect relationships the day or being around certain people will make you feel more anxious or more depressed and want to drink more. Noticing these moments can help you make a plan for different ways to cope.

• Alcohol is considered a depressant but can cause symptoms that are similar to stimulants.
• If you suspect that your drinking is affecting your family, there are resources available to help you stop.
• Sometimes you will simply have to trust your intuition that something feels wrong.
• Individual or family therapy may be particularly helpful if there is conflict within the family related to alcoholism.
• Regardless of whether the person is high-functioning, alcohol addiction is a severe disease.
• If you feel like alcohol addiction is affecting your relationship, it’s important to know that help is available.

You will make it clear to your loved one that, because you care about him or her, you want them to get help and you have a treatment option already set up for them. The goal of an intervention is not to blame or to punish someone, but to help your loved one see their need for treatment, and then accept help to turn their life around. You will want to talk to a professional for help finding a treatment program that will be best for your family and your spouse’s needs. Rehab programs vary in treatment length, philosophy, level of care, and cost.

Explore more activities as a couple that don’t involve alcohol

With a marriage or other committed relationships, alcoholism has the potential to put a serious strain on – or even destroy – the intimate bond between two people. Having a partner who drinks too much is very much like throwing a stone into a calm body of water – the effects have a ripple-like effect on all those around them. Children, relatives, friends, and co-workers all bear the brunt of a person’s addiction.

In many cases, these actions wind up enabling the addict, offering help that perpetuates the addiction rather than stopping it. Alcohol abuse can damage relationships in many ways, driving a wedge between spouses, family members and friends. Naturally, the old adage applies here – you can lead a horse to water, but can’t make it drink. Research shows this is a common problem faced by many partners of alcoholics.

About the Time Flow System

A friend or partner may constantly hear reasons for being late, disappearing or mood swings. 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. Having alcohol in your system makes it easier to do and say things we wouldn’t do otherwise. For some it’s about being able to relax in social situations which would normally induce anxiety; for others, it makes the party more fun. Everyone responds to alcohol differently- and the way you react to alcohol may be a problem. If severe enough, medical
issues can cause disability, leave of absences, or even death, further
impacting relationships.

A parent may
feel abandoned by their partner if they suddenly have to assume the majority of
parenting responsibilities by themselves. Substituting and changing habits are the way to get started on making a change in your relationship with alcohol, and making a healthy choice is always the right decision. There is a lot of stigma surrounding alcohol and someone’s decision to consume less. People often feel like they will be judged for wanting to drink less or change their habits. Deciding to make a healthy choice for yourself should start with letting go of any shame. You had fun, you did what was serving you at the moment and you have decided that the old habit is no longer serving you.

Cocaine and Depression

Children, spouses, parents, and other loved ones suffer in silence as they learn to live with the neglect, unpredictability, and even abuse caused by an alcoholic loved one. Family members worry about the alcoholic’s health and they worry about their own reputations. They struggle with the effects of dysfunctional relationships and erratic behavior. The best way to put an end to alcoholism, repair relationships, and get your life back is to get your spouse into treatment.

• Additionally, heavy drinking siblings may put a strain on the relationship between their parents.
• However, many would argue that – aside from the alcohol abuser – their partner often feels the biggest impact.
• Addiction is a disease of the mind for a reason- it completely hijacks your mind, rearranging your priorities.
• It affects every member’s life, attitude, and way of thinking and can lead to significant relationship dysfunction.
• Or they might hide how much they were drinking, who they were hanging out with, or what they were doing in order to avoid a fight.
• Remember that you also deserve support, whether through support groups or engaging in therapy yourself.