Alcohol consumption never seems like a big deal when one is in the moment of drinking. Social drinking may be fun, but a divorce may be the consequence for Maryland couples that do not share the same drinking patterns. Studies indicate that there is actually a link between the alcohol consumption patterns of spouses and divorce rates.
Researchers at the University of Buffalo have recently released their findings that conclude statistical signs of the link between divorce and drinking. The study shows that the couples who consume the same amount of alcoholic beverages have a better chance of staying together longer than couples who do not. Researchers followed over 600 couples through the first nine years of their marriages to conduct the study.
They found that, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed, if both partners consumed the same amount the marriage tended to last longer. The researchers found that almost 50 percent of the marriages monitored wound up filing for divorce when the drinking patterns differed. Only 30 percent of the marriages divorced when the drinking habits were similar.
Of course, almost no one goes through their marriage worrying about how having a drink or two will affect the marriage; however, when that drink escalates into more there can be a significant difference in attitude. The attitude change may not be so welcomed into the marriage and the spouse who does not drink as much may no longer be comfortable in the marriage. In Maryland, people can file for a divorce if the drinking becomes the wedge that drives them apart.
Source: Huffington Post, Couples’ Drinking Habits May Predict Likelihood Of Divorce, Study Finds, No author, Nov. 22, 2013