When it comes to anger specifically, people may experience a phenomenon called “alcohol myopia” in addition to their already heightened emotions. This scenario involves losing your sense of perception under the influence. As a result, you may be overly aggressive during a alcoholic rage syndrome situation where you’d otherwise notice the cues that tell you to think more rationally. People who tend to ignore the future consequences of their behavior, or score low on the Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) scale, have been found to display more aggression.

For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They may involve hurting someone badly enough to require medical attention or even cause death. Joseph Gilmore has been in the addiction industry for three years with experience working for facilities all across the country. What’s worse is that picking up a drink again or experiencing a relapse often triggers resentment, guilt, and anger. The study was supported by grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and from the National Center for Research Resources. Each of the participants was told that he or she was competing with a same-sex opponent in a computer-based speed reaction test, with the winner delivering an electrical shock to the loser.

Researchers

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), nearly 8 million adults in the United States struggled with both a mental health disorder and addiction in 2014. When a person struggles with both alcohol addiction and anger management problems, the issues exacerbate each other. One of the components during treatment for alcoholism is the psychosocial education piece. These are classes that provide instruction about how to improve interpersonal relating.

The outcomes of alcohol and anger can be hazardous, causing traumatizing situations for the inebriated person and the people around them. It’s important to remember that intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is a mental health condition. As with all mental health conditions, seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help decrease the disruptions to your life. Mental health professionals can offer treatment plans to help you manage your thoughts and behaviors. They were also required to respond to the Consideration of Future Consequence Scale (CFC).

Anger and Alcohol: What You Need To Know

One of the topics usually revolves around emotion regulation and anger management. An individual who, when in his or her alcohol addiction, was prone to angry outbursts or rages may have had existing anger management issues or an explosive personality. In recovery, it is important to address that propensity towards violence and learn effective coping skills that help change the tendency toward anger.

Because alcohol is a psychoactive drug, it temporarily alters your mood, perception and feelings. For example, if you start drinking when you’re lonely and sad, you may find the alcohol makes you feel even more desolate and distressed than you did when you were sober. Continue reading to learn more about the link between alcohol and anger, including which risk factors exist, how alcohol-related aggression can be dangerous and more. By understanding how alcohol abuse influences your mood, you can learn to make positive choices instead of ones you may regret. Among the many studied physiological and behavioral effects of alcohol is disinhibition, or reduced control over impulses or urges after intoxication. Disinhibition can make you unable to suppress or change an act of aggression that is not appropriate for the situation you’re in.