An addiction to alcohol can negatively impact many areas of your life, as the mental and health risks associated with drinking are widely publicized and well-known. But another area of your life which can suffer as a result of abusing alcohol is your relationships. If your relationships with family and friends have started to become strained and you no longer feel close to many of the important people in your life, it may be time to consider is drinking ruining your relationships?
Drinking Can Impact Your Social Life
Alcohol is a substance which can damage your social life as much as it can damage your own personal health. Often, when individuals begin to develop an addiction to alcohol, they begin to prioritize drinking over any other activities, which can significantly alter their interpersonal relationships. Eventually, a person who is dependent on drinking will begin to only associate with people who engage in the same level of substance abuse, potentially avoiding other relationships in the process.
As this situation progresses, a person will often only see other individuals under the presence of alcohol, creating a scenario where many of the most important relationships in their life are dependent on drinking. Drinking as one’s only social activity can reduce the chances of engaging in healthier, more productive activities, such as exercise and other beneficial forms of recreation.
Drinking can also impact a person’s memory and ability to organize their life, which can cause stress to one’s relationship as a result. An individual may forget to meet up with a friend, causing strain to their relationship as a result of alcohol. A person may also become more irritable with loved ones in their life when they aren’t under the influence of alcohol, creating a downward spiral where they begin to become more estranged from those who are closest to them.
Drinking Can Reduce Your Intimacy and Connection
Because alcohol is a depressant, it can begin to dull your senses and limit your emotional awareness. The experience of being under the influence of alcohol can transform a person into a removed individual, absent from themselves and their loved ones. If every interaction is colored through the lens of drinking, it’s very likely that a person’s romantic relationship will become severely strained and impacted as a result of being constantly under the influence of alcohol.
Additionally, drinking can negatively impact a person’s sex drive, reducing the possibility of becoming intimate with their partner. A diminished sex drive can continue to drive a wedge between you and your partner, leaving you alienated from one another and possibly leading to a broken relationship. When you begin to prioritize drinking over every activity which provides a deeper sense of connection, it’s likely that drinking is ruining your relationships.
Solutions for Those Struggling with Alcohol
Struggling with alcoholism can feel like a losing battle, something which is impossible to overcome. Thankfully, there are solutions for those seeking to address their condition and improve their relationships as a result. Thoughts of “is drinking ruining your relationships?” don’t have to fill your mind when you make the decision to reach out for help.
Ocean Hills Recovery offers its clients a wide-range of interventions to effectively treat the root causes of one’s addiction. We understand that there are many factors which can contribute to a person’s dependence, and we are committed to uncovering the best solution for your individual needs.
Ocean Hills Recovery offers a safe place for our clients to undergo a detox from alcohol while under the observation of medical professionals. We also provide intensive therapy, both one-on-one with a clinician and in a group setting with your peers. Getting sober can require a large amount of support from many different sources, and we believe it’s important to tackle addiction from all possible angles to make a person’s sobriety sustain itself.
Overcoming an addiction to alcohol on your own can be a daunting task and it is easy to become discouraged when repeated relapses occur. If it’s impacting your relationships or your life as a whole, contact Ocean Hills Recovery today to begin getting your life back on track.
Seeking professional help can be a difficult pill to swallow for many individuals who pride themselves on being independent and self-sufficient, but it is often the best path to overcoming a debilitating addiction. You and your loved ones deserve to have your best self, and you owe it to those in your life to make it a reality.
About the author:
