Incompatible Drinking can lead to Divorce

 Posted on February 11, 2013 in Family Law

According to a recent report by the Los Angeles Times, not having the same tolerance for alcohol as your spouse, or having a habit of drinking heaily can lead to the eventual dissolution of marriage. This is something to consider as you indulge in a few sweet cocktails or pop that bottle of champagne this Valentine’s day.

Compatibility is a big word when it comes to marriage, but many people do not recognize that this compatibility reaches even the most seemingly minor activities. Studies show that couples that consume the same amount of alcohol are less likely to divorce than couples where one spouse drinks more than the other. This is especially true when the wife is the heavy drinker.

In marriages where there is a high level of alcohol consumption, there is a higher chance of divorce. The studies show that the high divorce rate was when the female was the heavy drinker, at 26.8%. Couples where the husband was the heavy drinker experienced a divorce rate of 13.1% and couples where both were heavy drinkers showed a divorce rate of 17.2%.

The studies indicated that women with drinking problems led to a higher rate of divorce because women are customarily more sensitive to alcohol than their male counterparts. There is also a clear division in the gender roles when it comes to alcohol consumption. This study also indicated that in couples with both spouses being light drinkers, there was at a 5.8% rate of divorce.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are facing divorce, you need to contact an experienced Illinois family law attorney to represent your interests in the divorce proceedings. Your attorney can answer any questions that you may have as well as make recommendations when it comes to child support, alimony and marital property.