Another study of 249 heavy drinkers similarly found that alcohol intoxication predicted higher levels of IPV in those who reported low psychological flexibility (Grom et al., 2021). Next time you’re angry, try slowly scanning your body from head to toe. Notice any sensations that you’re experiencing and try to slow down and befriend them. Encourage yourself to be curious, compassionate and to stay with the sensations and breathe. One way to get in touch with this emotion is by becoming an “anger detective” and to identify where it shows up in your body.
You don’t have to battle the depression alone and relying on alcohol to make you feel better will only cause further pain. Reach out to a mental health professional to talk about treatment and strategies for dealing with depression. Depression is a common and serious mood disorder, which can impact your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In the United States alone, an estimated 17.3 million adults have had at least one major depressive episode. Anger expression may also be confused with aggression or hostility, two consequences of drinking commonly cited in research. If you live with underlying anger challenges, for example, it may not be as noticeable when you’re sober because your frontal lobe allows you to manage your emotions and your behaviors.
How alcohol affects your brain
Some people living with depression notice increased feelings of anger and irritability, directed both toward themselves and others. Research has increasingly attended to determining the specific association of depression and anger. In one study, 293 outpatients diagnosed with depression were assessed over a certain time frame to determine to what extent irritability might predict anger attacks (Manish, Fava, Abu, et. al., 2020). Anger attacks were defined as uncharacteristic sudden bouts of anger. While these can occur with or without aggression, this study only considered those that were aggressive in nature.
Some individuals exhibit “trait anger,” a personality trait that means they continually look for triggers that make them angry. 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. There are several risk factors, all of which impact people differently.
The Link Between Alcohol and Aggression
It often feels very tempting (and easy) to keep drinking until you feel better, especially when you have less access than usual to more helpful coping methods. If you tend to rely on alcohol to ease anxiety in social situations, for example, you might never address the https://ecosoberhouse.com/ underlying causes of your discomfort. Namely, it interferes with the release of neurotransmitters linked to mood regulation, including serotonin and norepinephrine. In small to moderate amounts, alcohol can temporarily lift your spirits and help improve your mood.
For some people alcohol can be a trigger for suicidal thoughts too. If you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for a few weeks, the NHS advises you to contact your GP surgery to get help. And if you’re worried about your drinking, there are alcohol support services that can help. But for some people, these feelings don’t go away – they get worse and their feelings of depression can start to interfere with everyday life.
A history of trauma, neglect, or abuse
Anger might characterize depression for men so often in part because of long-standing social norms around emotional expression and vulnerability. While people of any gender might experience anger as a alcohol depression and anger symptom of depression, evidence consistently suggests that men tend to experience anger with depression more often. In basic terms, hostility involves bitter, unkind, suspicious, or spiteful feelings.
You might feel a little unwell physically, but as long as the room doesn’t spin when you stand up, try to get outside for a short walk — or a longer one, if you can manage it. Instead, remind yourself you can do things differently next time. Then, try distracting yourself to help take your mind off how you feel.