Your place or mine?
Sharing a bottle of wine with a takeaway or a
couple of drinks snuggled up on the couch is something couples all
over Scotland do every week. In fact, over half of us say the place
we drink the most often is home. What sort of role does alcohol
play in your relationship?
Looking after your relationship
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Don’t wait until you’ve had a drink to talk
While a drink can help you and your partner feel more relaxed and sociable, too much can lead to arguments. When you want to talk about issues wait for a time when you’re both sober - you may feel less inhibited after a few drinks, but you might not get the mutual understanding you’re looking for.
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Keep things fresh
Drinking (not to mention recovering from its after- effects) probably means less time doing other, more positive things together. If you’re worried you’re both stuck in a routine which usually involves alcohol try adding some new and different activities in the mix. A surprise could be just the thing.
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Extra stress on relationships
If one or both of you regularly drinks too much, the strain will start to tell in all parts of your relationship. Drink makes us emotionally less sensitive as well as physically clumsy. Excessive drinking is cited as a main factor in 1 in 3 divorces*. By supporting each other you can enjoy a happier relationship together.
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Domestic abuse
Alarmingly, alcohol is linked to domestic abuse. Although alcohol does not cause domestic abuse it is a factor. For example, women who experience domestic abuse may turn to alcohol to cope with the abuse and numb the pain. A man’s use of alcohol, particularly with heavy drinking, is likely to result in more serious injury to his partner than if he is sober.
Turn it around together
Perhaps you find you make each other drink more? Why not commit
to drinking responsibly together? You can then help each stick to
the sensible drinking guidelines or consider taking a couple of
alcohol-free days a week, by going to see a film or trying an
alcohol-free cocktail. Measuring your drinks is also a good way of
keeping track of how much you're drinking.
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