According to the University At Buffalo’s website, Dr. Gregory Homish has been studying the behavior and satisfaction of couples for a decade. He came to the conclusion that couples with similar vices (alcohol and cigarettes in this case) and levels of engagement in said vices are likely to be more content with their relationship. And the correlation was greater for alcohol consumption than tobacco use (social lubricant!).
Essentially, heavy drinkers are more likely to be happy in their marriage than a drinker married to a teetotaler.
The study followed more than 600 couples and has them fill out questionnaires before their wedding, at years one, two, four and seven. Not surprisingly, the honeymoon ends pretty quickly as overall satisfaction trends down through the years. But couples with different habits were more likely to feel dissatisfaction than those with similar ones.
Though it’s not expressly stated, you’d guess that in a Homer Simpson – Maude Flanders match (boozebag to teetotaler) that both parties are equally aggrieved. He says, “You used to be cool” and she says, “You’re still drunk,” to which he says, “I’ll be sober in the morning and you’ll still be a dork,” at that point a door is slammed.
Since alcohol is a depressant, especially when one wakes up drunk only to become progressively more hungover until they go to bed that evening, you’d guess that double-fisting couples would generally be less satisfied, but the study disagrees.
So maybe drinking takes the edge off of relationships. Or maybe these couples are too drunk to care, but either way: Cheers to them!
Photo: Getty
