Studies have shown that serotonin levels may begin decreasing within 30 minutes of that first drink (4). Plummeting serotonin levels hinder the brain’s ability to regulate anger and are linked to impulsive aggression (5). Some people may become more angry or aggressive when they drink, in part because of alcohol’s effects on brain chemistry. Additionally, the amygdala area of the human brain is where we process emotions. And our orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), which is can alcohol make you aggressive part of the PFC, helps calm feelings of rage and aggression. Research suggests several factors may be involved, including personality, genetics, social considerations, brain chemistry, and brain changes.
Domestic Violence
Have family members or others mentioned concerns about your alcohol consumption? Did you recently experience an incident that stemmed from your alcohol-related aggression? These situations likely spark emotions when you think about them — perhaps you feel embarrassed or ashamed. According to research compiled by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol use is a considerable contributing factor to sexual assault.
Why Some Alcoholics Become Angry or Aggressive When They Drink?
„But if intoxicated people can’t feel their own pain, they might be less likely to feel empathy when others feel pain, and that could lead them to be more aggressive.“ Specifically, alcohol impacts the amygdala, the neurological security guard that stays on the lookout for danger and helps https://ecosoberhouse.com/ us react appropriately. But alcohol — sneaky culprit that it is — messes with the amygdala’s communication channels, impairing its ability to interpret social cues.
The Effects of Alcohol-Related Aggression
Picture an intensified mirror of oneself—a reflection with the volume turned way up. While some people might get giddy or relaxed after a few drinks, others may find their anger thresholds significantly lowered. For years, our team at Gateway Foundation has provided comprehensive recovery programs for people going through alcohol misuse. Through various treatment options, we can help you get back to a life of normalcy. For more information about how we can assist you in your recovery journey, read about our alcohol addiction treatment options. Attending one-on-one therapy with a licensed therapist can help you work through anger issues in a more private setting.
- „Keep in mind that any amount of drinking can influence emotions and behavior,“ O’Brien says.
- Alternative solutions may involve setting drink limits, avoiding alcohol when you’re already having intense emotions, or opting to have emotional conversations when you’re sober.
- This could possibly be a result of an underlying issue or the fact that they have something on their mind that is making them angry.
- While anger is an emotion you experience when you feel threatened, aggression is a hostile behavior that results in physical or psychological harm to yourself or others.
- In rodent studies, glutamine is linked to heightened agitation and aggression during alcohol withdrawal (7).
Have plenty of drink-free days
A person who is unpleasant when sober may match unpleasant behavior when intoxicated. Alcohol may intensify aspects of an individuals’ existing personality. Simply put, people who are usually argumentative when they are sober may be more likely to initiate a fight or become aggressive when drunk.
With some insight into factors that can cause rage or aggression while drinking, you can take steps to avoid certain behaviors. Researchers found that participants who were less inclined to think about the future were more inclined to deliver shocks longer and harder, but especially if they were drunk. Alcohol had minimal impact on aggression for those who thought about future consequences.
Managing Anger and Reducing Alcohol-Related Aggression
- Research suggests that booze doesn’t necessarily create new behaviors—it simply amplifies what’s already there.
- However, in the recent years, data from the United States indicate that the binge-drinking rate in adult women (age 21–49 years) has been rising (Hasin et al., 2019; Sarah and Keyes, 2020).
- Chronic alcohol intake increases the metabolites of serotonin in the raphe nuclei area, however reduces 5-HT2A protein levels in the mice cortex, indicating reduced serotonergic activity (Popova et al., 2020).
- Executive function is a term used to describe the processesin the brain that control functions like working memory, reasoning,attention, planning and inhibition of impulses.
Those who don’t think about the consequences of their actions are more likely to adversely affect themselves and others. Additionally, when you don’t reflect on mistakes you’ve made, you’ll probably repeat them. Overall, exhibiting one or a combination of the above factors can increase your chances of becoming angry when intoxicated. As a whole, alcohol use naturally heightens emotions, and for people who are predisposed to aggressive tendencies, it can quickly make bad scenarios worse. Respondents were most likely to report feeling relaxed (52.8%) when drinking red wine; although almost half of respondents also reported Alcoholics Anonymous feeling relaxed when drinking beer.
