Alcohol is the one psychoactive substance that research shows have a close link to anger. If you have heard friends call you an angry drunk, you should know that alcohol triggers this. Technically, alcohol affects your moods and influences your ability to make sound decisions. Most drunks act impulsively when intoxicated, only for them to regret their actions later.
Anger and Aggression- How it Works
Anger and aggression have been subjects of discussion and research for years. Drunks are angry and violent people because of their intoxication. Unfortunately, the outcome of such anger is something you cannot ignore, considering how hazardous and traumatizing things get.
Differentiating Anger and Aggression
Anger is an emotional feeling that comes when one feels threatened. Aggression, on the other hand, is a hostile behavior resulting that may lead to both physical and psychological harm.
Anger can be a trait carried on in one’s personality where they are always looking for a chance to react. In most cases, anger leads to aggression if an issue is unresolved. Something as simple as not being served can lead to aggression which escalates to violence.
Alcohol and Behavior Influence
Being a psychoactive drug, alcohol has the potential to alter perceptions, feelings, and moods. This is why most people who would otherwise be introverted suddenly feel joyful, lonely, or even angry when intoxicated. Unfortunately, such emotions have a way of being escalated to unexplained heights. A good example is when one begins drinking while feeling lonely and sad.
Such feelings can be elevated to desolateness and distress, worse off than when you were sober. Similarly, angry individuals can easily become aggressive when under alcohol. A minor annoyance can quickly turn into something disastrous just because of alcohol.
Alcohol Myopia – What is it?
Alcohol myopia happens when angry people are intoxicated with alcohol. It is a situation where one loses their sense of perception when intoxicated and tends to be overly aggressive when they would be more rational in the real sense. In other words, the alcohol in one’s system makes one defy reason and act strangely.
Additionally, alcohol tends to make people act aggressively because it only makes them focus on a specific behavior. When you fail to see things as they are, the chances of harming yourself and others are high.
Anyone with predisposed aggressive tendencies is better placed to stay away from alcohol. The intoxication will only lead to heightened emotions and blurry judgments hence the aggressive reactions.
What are the Risk Factors of Alcohol Triggered Aggression?
People who become angry and aggressive when intoxicated with alcohol are not entirely at fault. The disorder arises from a genetic predisposition. Sometimes the aggressive feelings are beyond one’s control and are often caused or triggered by a few elements, including:
- Gender – the problem is mainly with men
- Drinking habits – binge drinkers suffer more aggression
- Social factors – peer pressure is a major trigger
- Mental health – the aggression could be triggered by un-earthed mental illness
- Stress – when used as a release valve, aggression is inevitable
- Personality – if one is naturally aggressive, then alcohol makes it worse
- Trauma- cycles of trauma and hurt can affect victims and cause them to mimic the behaviors of their abusers. This gets worse when intoxicated.
Unfortunately, the effects of alcohol-triggered aggression are serious. They can even be life-threatening. They include:
- Poor decision making
- Domestic violence
- Assault
- Impulsive behavior
The best way to get over such unruly behaviors is to seek help. Talk to a specialist at Skyward Treatment center for more assistance.