From intimacy problems and lack of emotional availability to the financial burden and negative effects on children, alcohol use disorder can affect partners, their children and other family members. Alcohol abuse disorder significantly alters an alcohol and relationships individual’s personality, and as a result, it can make them unrecognizable from the person they were before they started drinking. Individuals who have alcohol use disorder become more and more secretive, often out of fear, shame, or guilt.

Learning more about how alcohol can affect your relationship is already an incredible step to be proud of. While alcohol can negatively impact your relationship, it’s important to remember that we are not our drinking habits. With time and support, relationships can heal and grow authentically without alcohol. One or two drinks may actually lead to an uptick in libido, but after that, the drop-off can be dramatic. This can be challenging for the partner who is still craving sex and intimacy. Some partners may even wonder if they are no longer attractive to the other person.

Alcohol Can Cause Serious Health Problems

Research from 2019 explored the relationship between alcohol and violence. A review of the literature found a significant relationship between alcohol and domestic violence — with one 2020 study in Australia citing alcohol as a factor in roughly 24% to 54% of family and domestic violence police reports. 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.

We understand how each of these things is connected and seek to provide ample support for all affected by the addiction in question. The truth of the matter is that addiction does not magically disappear after a stint in rehab. It is a battle that they will have to consider for the rest of their lives. To make a choice not to pick up a drink despite any amount of stress is not easy and requires an incredible amount of agency and strength. Recovering alcoholics and relationships is a delicate subject matter that must be given the level of thought and care that it warrants.

Alcohol and Romantic Relationships

Alcohol problems are common, particularly among individuals and families seeking mental health services. Families may present other problems as their primary concerns, but drinking is often the primary cause of or corollary to their presenting problems. Drinking problems may range in severity, from differences in values and preferences about drinking that create family conflicts, to severe alcohol dependence. As a result, marriage and family therapists should screen all clients for possible drinking problems and complete additional assessments where appropriate. When determining whether to intervene and how to intervene, it is important to first consider the overall goals of family therapy and any safety concerns that may be involved. Brief interventions, either directly with the drinker or with concerned family members, can have a positive impact on alcohol problems.