Hi there,

It is a perfectly putrid winter afternoon in Boston AND tomorrow is the first day of spring.  Last weekend was Saint Patrick’s Day, so I decided I would write about the endlessly cheery subject of alcohol abuse.

We always have a few divorce cases open here that involve alcohol in one way or another.  Generally the most egregious deal with custody or parenting.  Alcoholism is an insidious disease in that it is both an illness and a choice, and the non alcoholic family members pay a considerable price.  What I had not realized until recently is that heavy drinkers change their brains somehow so that they are less resilient than non heavy drinkers.

It also turns out, and I was not surprised at this, that heavy drinking leads to divorce, especially when only one spouse is a heavy drinker.

If you are contemplating marriage in addition to possibly considering a prenuptial agreement, you should also take a hard look at your partner’s drinking patterns.

Best,

Nancy