The Relationship Between Alcoholics & Anger Alcohol Rehab

Drinking, or even the anticipation of consuming alcohol, causes the production of dopamine. The PFC region of the brain is where we make judgment calls about potential behavior before acting on it. When alcohol impairs this area, a person may be more likely to behave in a way they wouldn’t while sober, including getting confrontational (2).

People known to have anger outbursts on alcohol can end up destroying relationships. Even the people who care about them the most can be unable or unwilling to continue to tolerate the abuse. This has an effect on the life of the person exhibiting this consistent anger. It makes people — even their closest friends — less willing to spend time with them. It can have a major impact on their family members’ quality of life and even be a detriment to the healthy development of any children they have.

Alcohol and Aggression: A Neuroscience Perspective

There is also a theory that the disinhibition that alcohol creates raises the risk of violent behavior. Heavy drinkers are more likely to engage in risky behavior, which includes being violent and acting out hostile emotions, often against a loved one. Ultimately, nobody knows what comes first⁠—anger or alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Keep in mind, sometimes it is the victim who is under the influence. Disinhibition while drinking can lead to people engaging in behaviors they normally wouldn’t, such as aggression. If you drink when you’re celebrating, it can make you feel even more celebratory and excited. And if you drink when you’re feeling angry, that anger may bubble up to the surface and come out in unhealthy ways.

Don’t Shut Down Your Anger. Channel It.

Anger management and alcohol treatment programs must recognize and educate participants about the relationships between alcohol and anger. It’s equally important that psychotherapists highlight this interaction both with clients who consume alcohol and those in relationships alcoholic rage syndrome with them. Additionally, this information should also be taught in schools to expand their understanding and hopefully reduce the prevalence of alcohol-related aggression. An angry drunk is someone we’ve all probably come into contact with at one time or another.

• In many cases, abusers of alcohol rely on it to provide some semblance of emotional stability.
• This activates the stress response, which speeds up heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, and increases body temperature.
• No, it’s a natural, valid emotion that responds to threats and injustice, and if expressed in a reasonable way, does not harm our health.
• Finally, other research shows that people who rarely think of the consequences of their actions are more likely to be angry drunks.