Anger and substance abuse: a systematic review and meta-analysis PMC
They were also required to respond to the Consideration of Future Consequence Scale (CFC). It was found that those scoring lower became significantly more aggressive than those who had higher ratings on the CFC. The findings were explained by emphasizing that concern for the future involves greater prefrontal cortex resources that help inhibit the excessive impact of alcohol. Another study that explored the impact of alcohol consumption on facial recognition found that individuals with alcohol use disorder exhibited a bias toward misidentifying emotional facial expressions as hostile or disgusted (Freeman et al., 2018). Interestingly, those in the control group tended to misidentify expressions as happy.
Each individual has unique anger triggers based on what you expect from yourself and those around you. If you don’t know how to express anger, your frustrations can make you miserable or cause you to explode in an angry outburst. Others can be affected by alcohol-related violence too, including wider family and friends alcohol depression and anger as well as children. The search was conducted by two independent authors (HVL and AE) who first analyzed the titles and abstracts and then selected manuscripts for full-text reading. Disagreements regarding inclusion in the study were resolved through discussion with a third author (FHK) until a consensus was reached.
A further examination of the relation between trait anger and alcohol-related aggression: the role of anger control
It is important for people undergoing treatment to have a stable and supportive home environment without access to drugs and alcohol. The most effective way to cope with alcohol-induced anger is to avoid consuming too much alcohol. Additionally, there is evidence that chemical and biological factors play a role. People with higher levels of testosterone are more likely to be aggressive. Instead of being a natural emotion, someone with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) will express anger to avoid dealing with unpleasant or adverse circumstances, including the addiction.
A total of 100 males (50 alcohol-dependent and 50 abstainers) in the age range of 20–45 years with a primary diagnosis of alcohol dependence were taken for the study. They were administered a semi-structured interview schedule to obtain information about sociodemographic details, information about alcohol use, its relationship with anger and its effects on anger control and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Before discussing the connection between anger and alcohol, it’s important to understand their relationship as a whole.
Medication-assisted treatment
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.
All treatment sessions included a breath test to ensure that participants had .000 BAC; if not, the session was rescheduled. Sessions began with reviews of cravings, high-risk situations, and any alcohol consumption between each session. There was a brief mention of AA attendance and coverage of drink refusal skills and relapse prevention. Based on the content of treatment protocols, anger regulation material comprised approximately 0.4% of the AAF condition and 64.2% of the AM condition. AA-related material comprised approximately 45.0% of the AAF condition and 5.4% of the AM condition. Alcohol-related treatment material comprised approximately 54.6% of the AAF condition and 30.4% of the AM condition.
How can you deal with alcohol-related anger?
Consuming alcohol can serve as a distraction from a range of negative feelings, including anger. And all too often, as in Ryan’s case, it reflects displacement, directing anger toward a target that is not the source of an individual’s original anger. Under the influence of alcohol, those already predisposed toward anger may vent or, more seriously, direct their anger toward a target that might be experienced as less threatening than the original target.
- Decreased cognitive function also means it’s more likely for you to misread a situation and overreact.
- This disinhibiting aspect of alcohol in effect paves the way for feelings to dominate thoughts and behavior.
Finally, although beyond the scope of the present paper, consideration of multiple dimensions of affect and affective disorders may lead to a deeper understanding of the role of anger and other negative affect states in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Although little empirical work addresses the role of anger in the treatment of alcohol dependence, research has focused on other affect experiences. The Kelly et al. (2011) secondary analyses of the Project MATCH data indicate that attending AA meetings may reduce depressive symptoms, thereby improving drinking outcome. 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.
When you are drunk, most things will cloud you, and you will not be able to perceive situations correctly. If you or your close ones are struggling with alcohol-related anger, Confidant Health provides an opportunity to overcome this issue. This online platform offers Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in which medications and behavioral therapies are used to cope with alcohol use.
Comments are closed.