Alcohol and Rage: What You Need to Know

The master’s level clinicians and therapists at Serenity Lane dedicate their lives to offering evidence-based, compassionate, and comprehensive addiction treatment because we know anyone can recover. We don’t want you to face uncontrolled anger or alcohol use disorder alone – we want to help. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Finding wellness through treatment at Serenity Lane doesn’t just mean finding recovery from AUD. It means identifying your triggers for anger and finding out why you’re self-medicating with alcohol. It means learning how to approach your anger in a way that serves you and your recovery.

For example, multiple studies have shown that children who are exposed to trauma at a young age — domestic abuse or violence linked to addiction, for example — are more likely to abuse substances or develop mental disorders when they grow up. Users of psychoactive substances had elevated anger scores compared to non-users, which represents a high risk of relapse. It is suggested that PSU treatment programs include intensive anger management modules, focusing on factors such as dealing with daily stressors, family conflicts, frustrations, and problems. Alcohol facilitates conflicts with others and increases the potential for violent behavior among the drinkers and others (Wieczorek et al., 1990; Mann et al., 2006; Wahlsten et al., 2007). Expressive murders are most often preceded by arguments and altercations and the level of intoxication increases the viciousness of the attack (Karlsson, 1998).

Addressing the Connection Between Anger and Alcoholism at the Same Time

Many have unresolved feelings of anger, frustration, or rage before they reach for alcohol. Additionally, it’s common for people to self-medicate with alcohol, thinking that drinking will numb those feelings or allow them to forget – if only for one evening. The mood someone is in when they begin drinking is often the mood that will be intensely felt once they’ve reached a level of intoxication.

• It is thus possible that therapists did not abide by treatment manuals and procedures or did so poorly, outside of awareness of the supervisors.
• Expressive murders are most often preceded by arguments and altercations and the level of intoxication increases the viciousness of the attack (Karlsson, 1998).
• The result was that the intoxicated men were more aggressive than the sober men; however, in the circumstances where the women were highly provoked, both the intoxicated and sober women displayed higher levels of aggression, which could resemble the men.
• As a positive, unalarming emotion and one that others are used to seeing, however, happiness isn’t on the radar as much as anger.
• This indicated that alcohol-induced aggression affects both the genders in different ways, suggesting that men are likely to respond in a direct and indirect manner, whereas women exhibit aggression in an indirect manner.

Justification rationalizes anger as the “right” response to perceived wrongdoing, rooted in notions of deservedness and cosmic justice. By invoking concepts like karma or divine retribution, individuals employing this language absolve themselves of responsibility while casting judgment upon the other party. Retribution can become a self-perpetuating cycle, where each act of retaliation breeds further hostility and animosity. This escalation not only deepens the divide between individuals but also impedes the possibility of genuine reconciliation and resolution.

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Relapsed individuals often start another negative cycle of alcohol-related problems and suffering in themselves and others (Lowman et al., 1996; Marlatt & Gordon, 1980). Notwithstanding the progress that has been made in the alcohol use disorders treatment field, innovative treatment strategies are still needed. Knowledge of the origin and treatment of alcohol-related aggression remains insufficient, despite the frequency of such aggression.

Some people may become more angry or aggressive when they drink, in part because of alcohol’s effects on brain chemistry. Research suggests several factors may be involved, including personality, genetics, social considerations, brain chemistry, and brain changes. “One of the acute effects alcohol can have on the brain is causing rage, anger, and aggression,” says Brent Metcalf, LCSW, a specialist in trauma treatment and clinical alcohol and drug counseling at Tri-Star Counseling.

1 Anger and Alcohol: A Potentially Bad Mix

First, its coping skills approach fits conceptually into coping skills relapse prevention conceptualizations (Marlatt & Gordon, 1980; Witkiewitz & Marlatt, 2004). Moreover, meta-analyses (Beck & Fernandez, 1998; Del Vecchio & O’Leary, 2004; DiGuiseppe & Tafrate, 2003; Edmondson & Conger, 1996) show CRCS to be an effective intervention that had roughly equivalent effects to other interventions. Third, including both cognitive and relaxation coping skills provides a range of coping skills to assist most individuals with anger problems, i.e., this intervention addresses anger issues for most people. Fourth, CRCS is manualized (Deffenbacher & McKay, 2000), such that there was a publicly available manual to adapt to a 12-session format focusing heavily on anger management for alcohol dependent individuals scoring moderate or above on an index of anger.

This indicated that alcohol-induced aggression affects both the genders in different ways, suggesting that men are likely to respond in a direct and indirect manner, whereas women exhibit aggression in an indirect manner. A slightly different finding to the previous study was seen in an investigation conducted by Hoaken and Pihl (2000). The researchers assigned the participants (54 males and 60 females) to compete in a competitive aggression paradigm in an intoxicated or sober state. The result was that the intoxicated men were more aggressive than the sober men; however, in the circumstances where the women were highly provoked, both the intoxicated and sober women displayed higher levels of aggression, which could resemble the men. This suggested that both the women and men can be equally aggressive and alcohol does not seem to play a prominent role in the gender biases in aggression.

Taken together, this body of research emphasizes the role of emotions in general as important therapeutic targets in alcohol dependence treatment. “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” ~ Buddha Feeling anger is part of being human. From toddlers to old men, everyone experiences anger from time to time.