Since your judgment becomes clouded when you’re intoxicated, a simple misunderstanding can quickly turn into a bar fight. Furthermore, an angry drunk may not feel like consequences matter, making it seem like a good idea from their perspective to create or partake in a dangerous situation. They found that people with HTR2B Q20 tended to be more impulsive and aggressive under https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the influence of alcohol. They were more likely than those without the variation to have a history of outbursts and fights while drinking, as well as to have been arrested for driving under the influence. It’s important to note that these symptoms can differ and represent variables in severity and duration depending on the individual and the extent of alcohol abuse.
An increase in anger after trauma and the use of alcohol to cope with PTSD symptoms were stronger predictors of physically aggressive or violent acts than a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD without anger. Researchers have studied the connection between anger and aggression for years. However, it’s about more than getting easily upset or having a short fuse when you drink alcohol.
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The Effects of Alcohol-Related Aggression
One such study included 136 men with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV) (Estruch, 2017). The individuals who had higher mental rigidity had lower empathy and perception of the severity of IPV. Additionally, they reported higher alcohol use and hostile sexism than those lower in mental rigidity. Another study explored the relationship between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alcohol use, and violence (Blakey et al., 2018). This was a massive study of 33,215 individuals with no history of active military combat.
- Remember that addiction is a serious disease, and you’re doing the best you can.
- However, it’s difficult to discern if drinking was the primary problem, or whether lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise influenced health outcomes as well.
- Anger management and conflict resolution are other coping tools that are often taught in rehab.
According to research compiled by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol use is a considerable contributing factor to sexual assault. Similarly, in nearly 40% of violent incidents, surveyed individuals from the United Kingdom said they believed their perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol. While drinking alcohol isn’t the sole reason for assault, it plays a substantial role in whether someone commits a violent crime.
The Relationship Between Anger and Aggression
Alcohol seems to steal away the person you know and replace him or her with an angry version. Other complex factors may also play a role, including underlying mental health issues or a lack of social support. Some experts suggest that people who leave treatment programs early or don’t address underlying factors that contribute to alcohol misuse have a higher chance of experiencing this syndrome. There are several different signs and symptoms of PTSD and trauma exhibited by adult children of alcoholics. Similar to PTSD, any one symptom can be problematic and can have a negative impact on the quality of life for the individual. Control of emotions isn’t the only link between alcohol and anger.
Many people enjoy alcoholic drinks as a way of relaxing, sometimes to reduce the tension of socializing or to quiet an overactive mind. By contrast, some individuals’ alcohol consumption contributes to their anger, hostility, and even aggression. Ryan offered a more extreme example of this type of interaction. In his case, he was already predisposed to anger arousal before he had his first drink. Many people who have an alternate personality when they drink look back on it clarity when they sober up. Sometimes the shame of facing the things they did while intoxicated causes them to start drinking again, proliferating a vicious circle of substance use and abuse.
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Consuming alcohol can serve as a distraction from a range of negative feelings, including anger. And all too often, as in Ryan’s case, it reflects displacement, directing anger toward a target that is not the source of an individual’s original anger. Under the influence of alcohol, those already predisposed toward anger may alcoholic rage syndrome vent or, more seriously, direct their anger toward a target that might be experienced as less threatening than the original target. I’ve observed this pattern over several decades in helping clients deal with anger. This disinhibiting aspect of alcohol in effect paves the way for feelings to dominate thoughts and behavior.