The relationship between anger and alcohol
Not everyone who drinks has an anger problem, so what happens to cause some to have such aggressive reactions after having a few drinks? We are all different so it is difficult to have a one size fits all with alcohol but the following impacts are worth pondering. (taken from drinkaware.co.uk)
- Attention is narrowed and the bigger picture is missed, often causing an over-reaction, not thinking of the consequences of an action. Thoughts and actions are impaired. An expression for this is alcohol myopia.
- After drinking alcohol a person is more likely to misinterpret another’s action and start a fight with the smallest of triggers.
- Alcohol makes it hard to think straight, suppressing inhibition. A person may start feeling relaxed but it can turn to anxiety, tension and confrontational thinking and behaviour. This is because alcohol affects brain chemicals such as GABA.
Jimmy's Story: alcohol leading to anger and dire consequences
About 10 years ago, I began to facilitate a Saturday’s Men’s Sexual Issues Support Group; originally using Sexual Sanity for Men by David White with Harvest U.S.A.
A wonderful group, with many robust conversations.
One Saturday morning one of the attendees, Jimmy, begin to share. He shared very vulnerably, for really the first time.
As he began to share, it became obvious what he was sharing was very personal, and perhaps he had never shared it before…
Jimmy confided in the group that when he gets angry, he ‘sees red’, and loses control! This was usually linked to alcohol. He went on to share that it has gotten him in trouble a few times; arguments and fisticuffs, sometimes to the point that he was beaten severely.
As the depth of his issue with alcohol and his temper began to be exposed to us, he went on to share that one afternoon, after drinking too much, he went home to his wife, and they got into an argument. Tensions escalated, on both sides, and it did not take long for it to become physical, on both their parts…
The next thing that Jimmy remembers is ‘coming to’ over the lifeless body of his wife! At which point he collapsed and wept uncontrollably.
After some time, he called the police, and turned himself in to their custody.
They arrested him, and took him to jail. He went through the court system, and was found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Redemption
While in prison he started doing two things regularly, going to an alcoholics support group, and to Christian Prison outreach, when available.
Jimmy gave his heart to the Lord while in prison (me too).
He was released after seven years, and joined our Men’s Sexual Issues Support Group not long afterwards, also got involved in church, and began to focus on studying the bible.
Today, Jimmy is remarried, an evangelist, and very active in his church community. We still interact and support each other with prayer, and encouragement.
God changes lives. Jimmy is proof. Thank you Lord Jesus!
John Childress
Co-founder Free! Recovery and author of The Addict's Choices