People turn to alcohol for various reasons. Sometimes it’s to cope with hardships or other mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. When alcohol consumption becomes a problem, it can lead to more significant issues in your relationship.
Alcohol abuse is different from social drinking. It can consist of anything from binge drinking once in a while to consistently drinking each day. Unfortunately, there are some common issues with those who abuse alcohol, no matter the reason.
If you’re in a relationship with someone who has a drinking problem, it’s crucial to know how it can impact that relationship.
With that in mind, let’s take at how alcohol abuse can create issues in your intimate relationship and what you should do.
1. Makes Communicating Difficult
Communication is one of the most vital keys to any healthy relationship. When alcohol is involved, it becomes more challenging to communicate effectively. Even if you have tried to talk to your partner about their alcohol issues, you might feel like you’re hitting a dead end each time.
Unfortunately, many people who abuse alcohol have a hard time seeing the issues. Or, if they do, they don’t want to accept it. Alcohol is often a way to numb fear, sadness, loneliness, or shame. It is usually the result of deeper issues, and people turn toward it because they don’t want to talk about those issues. As a result, it can drive a wedge in your relationship.
2. Triggers Arguments
When one (or both) partners in a relationship are drunk, it often leads to severe and intense arguments. Inhibitions are down when too much alcohol is involved. That can cause people to say things they don’t necessarily mean.
It can also cause them to do things they wouldn’t usually do. Violence isn’t uncommon when alcohol is a factor in a relationship. If your partner gets violent during an argument, it’s essential to immediately seek help and find a safe place. You cannot thrive in a relationship where intimacy disappears due to constant arguing.
3. Impacts Your Physical Relationship
In addition to wreaking havoc on your communication and the emotional side of your relationship, alcohol abuse can impact the physical aspect of your intimacy, too. For example, if your partner feels they need alcohol to be physically intimate, it’s a deeper issue.
Some people go in the opposite direction, drinking so much as a coping mechanism that a physical relationship becomes nearly non-existent. Whatever the case, it can cause insecurities within the other partner. Furthermore, it can lead to a loss of emotional intimacy, as well.
If your partner is struggling with alcohol abuse and impacting your relationship, the time to act is now. You don’t have to wait for things to get worse.
What’s the Next Step?
One of the best things you can do is talk to them about the issues. If they deny a problem or are unwilling to get help, you may need to separate yourself from the relationship for your well-being.
Your partner has to have a willingness to admit they need help. Many people who develop a dependency on alcohol aren’t able to get past it on their own. So, they also need to be willing to accept help.
However, if they recognize that there is a problem and are willing to get help, be encouraging and supportive. Again, people tend to turn to alcohol to deal with deeper underlying issues that are difficult to talk about. When you look at your partner’s drinking from that standpoint, you can learn to understand what they’re going through.
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For more support dealing with alcohol abuse in your relationship, please reach out to us today. Serenity EFTC provides couples counseling in Colorado.