Are Couples with Different Drinking Habits more likely to Divorce?

Differences in habits can cause problems for couples, and even lead to divorce. While most people don’t want a partner exactly like them, having some similarities helps create harmony; conversely, some lifestyle choices can destroy a relationship when both partners don’t see eye-to-eye. When the members of a couple have different drinking habits, issues can arise that could end the relationship for good.

Couples Likely to Divorce If They Have Different Drinking Habits

A report by researchers at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions and UB’s Research Institute on Addictions found that “when a couple’s drinking habits were similar, both partners remained relatively satisfied with their marriage.” When one spouse drinks heavily and the other does not, the discrepancy can result in relationship dissatisfaction. 634 couples are involved in the study. As Gregory G. Homish, PhD, notes, “‘There are important clinical implications related to these findings. [ . . . ] For example, if one partner of a heavy drinking couple enters treatment for his/her alcohol use, the break-up of the ‘drinking partnership’ could have unintended negative outcomes for the couple.’” Treating both partners and including couples therapy in the treatment plan would therefore be important to saving the relationship. Unfortunately, both members of the couple may not be equally invested in change.

Connection Between Drinking and Divorce

Another study, this time by Norwegian researchers and involving almost 20,000 married couples, also found that when one member of a couple drinks more than the other, the chances of divorce are noticeably higher than in couples that drink a similar amount. This was found to be true whether both members of the couple drank excessively or abstained from drinking, though heavy drinking itself can increase the likelihood of divorce. The connection between heavy drinking and divorce is stronger in women than men.

And despite this connection between heavy drinking and divorce being stronger in women than in men, it’s important to note that this phenomenon persists across cultures. Despite the fact that one study was conducted in the United States, and the other in Norway, both studies point to the same conclusions. This is in despite the fact that both of these countries have completely different drinking cultures.

Get Help!

If your relationship is suffering because of problem drinking, it’s important to get help. Depending on what is best for you in your unique situation, that help may involved treatment for you or your spouse and/or the termination of an unhealthy situation. If you need help with a divorce and you are in or near Toronto, Fine & Associates Toronto Divorce Lawyers can help. We understand that this process is challenging and hope we can help make things easier for you.