Is there a connection between alcohol & aggression?

A riot in a busy nightlife street, a fight in the pub, riots during a football match. The combination of alcohol and large groups of people often turns out to be an explosive cocktail. Can we say that alcohol leads to aggression? If so, how come? And is there an aggressor in each of us that foams at the mouth as soon as someone steps on our toes? 

To get straight to the point, research confirms the link between alcohol and aggression. The following applies: the more alcohol is drunk, the greater the chance that this will lead to aggressive behaviour. At least to a certain extent, because in people who continue to drink, the risk of aggression eventually decreases. Think of the drunken brawler who can hardly stand on his feet, let alone his motor skills to get into a fight with someone.

Alcohol and violence in nightlife

An argument in the pub is no coincidence. Sun 80% of alcohol-related violence takes place in nightlife. From all the outgoing feels 30% sometimes gets worked up or aggressive when going out. A small 25% has been involved in a fight. In almost all cases, the violence was alcohol-related. Many of those involved were under the age of 24. From this you can conclude that young people and young adults run a higher risk of becoming involved in violence under the influence of alcohol. Source: trimbos.nl

Does alcohol always lead to aggression?

Luckily not. Not everyone who drinks alcohol becomes aggressive or violent. Whether someone suffers from aevil drunk' depends on many factors, such as how much alcohol a person drinks, biological factors, individual personality traits and the environment. Before we get into this, let's look at how alcohol affects the brain.

Alcohol and the (reduced) functioning of our brains

Alcohol affects our brain in different ways. One of the effects is that you suffer from tunnel vision. All your attention is focused on one thing. That nudge in a busy pub can grow into a major, insurmountable annoyance. Furthermore, alcohol removes inhibitions, so that we react more impulsively and are less aware of the consequences of our actions. These two effects together ensure that people under the influence of alcohol can react very angry, where they would normally remain calm. Alcohol also makes people less anxious. As a result, they are less likely to avoid confrontations, or even seek them out. Another effect of alcohol on our brains is that we are less able to interpret the behavior of others. A mistake, such as knocking over a glass, is more likely to be taken personally. Resulting in a fight. In short, all these factors together mean that our brains -and emotions- reach the boiling point significantly faster under the influence of alcohol than in a sober state.

Risk group: young men

As mentioned, not everyone is sensitive to the 'aggression factor' of drinking alcohol. In practice, these appear to be mainly young men with a short temper, little emotional attachment and little empathy for others. People with an impulsive character are also more at risk than others.

Area

Finally, the environment also plays an important role when it comes to stimulating aggressive behaviour. Think of a busy environment with many people and loud music, where a wrong comment or a push can quickly cause a fight. It is therefore not surprising that alcohol leads to aggression, especially in nightlife.

Source for this item is the article 'Explanations for the relationship between alcohol and aggression' of the Trimbos Institute.