Is Alcohol Spoiling Your Romance?

by Gary Seeman, Ph.D. (retired)

Introduction

When I first talk to people about couples therapy, I usually ask: “Do you drink alcohol? Does your partner?” and if so, “How much?” I also ask whether they use other mind-altering drugs and intoxicants. Please understand — I’m not opposed to having a good time. Some people can drink in moderation without ill effects. But it’s important to recognize whether drinking or drugs may be spoiling your romance. With alcohol especially people may not make the connection between drinking and relationship problems. They may not be ready to let go of a partying lifestyle. Or, they may prefer to deny problems with alcohol rather than feel shame or guilt about some of the terrible problems they’re having. This article is provided for your education. It is not the equivalent of psychotherapy or a medical workup.

If you believe drinking is hurting your relationship or you’re not sure, I’ve written this article to help you understand how it can do this, which is the first step in making changes.

Topics covered in this article include:

  • How Do We Know if Alcohol Is the Problem?

  • Alcohol’s Drug Effects

  • Alcohol and Cocaine

  • Cultural Myths About Alcohol

  • Psychological and Social Impacts of Alcohol

  • Getting Help (a list and discussion of resources and methods)

  • Take Courage and Find an Approach that Works for You

How Do We Know if Alcohol Is the Problem?

Here are some of the situations you typically see where people are having alcohol problems in relationship:

“We just got home from a party. We had a few drinks and a great time. Now we’re bickering again over nothing!”

Or

“I know we’ve got problems, but it’s hard to cut back because all of our friends drink.”

Or

“We went out for a romantic dinner and shared a bottle of wine. We were relaxed and felt close. Then we went to a club and had a few more. Now she’s losing control again and flirting with a stranger. Why does this keep happening? Does she really love me?

Or

“Things were great before we had kids. But I’m worried. We’ve had some bad fights. And I can’t seem to reach him anymore. Every night he drinks a few beers and just sits in front of the TV.”

Maybe you don’t know if alcohol is the problem, because after all blaming only alcohol may be too simplistic. You may be surprised to read this, but usually relationship problems have several contributing causes. My main point is that many relationship issues can become much worse “under the influence” of alcohol. And alcohol affects relationships in several ways: 1) as a drug; 2) as cultural ritual; and 3) psychologically.

Alcohol‘s Drug Effects