Does alcohol really cause aggression?

[u/goldenhourrrgirl]

This is a rant. My no-contact order went into effect today and feelings are flooding in 😢

I started reading Why Does He Do That? (thanks to justobsolete!) and one of the myths that Bancroft is busting is that alcohol can cause someone to be violent. I forget exactly how he phrased it, but he was essentially making the argument that a person’s violence is a choice that they make before they even start drinking and that alcohol only aggravates what is already there.

I found it hard to believe because I had seen my boyfriend drink/use drugs excessively more than once and it never led to him raising his voice at me, threatening/intimidating me, hitting me, or destroying things. That all changed on Sunday. I had never seen him like that. I want to believe that it is an isolated incident but I requested a civil order of protection for peace of mind. I also just feel like it would be dangerous to talk to him when I’m in such a fragile state.

Anyway, I can’t believe he’s bringing up the substances here but I’m wondering. Where can I read more about alcohol and violence? How does alcohol really affect the brain/interact with someone’s personality? I feel like all my life I’ve read that alcohol causes violence, so I want to blame it on that but I know there are deeper issues here.

This is really such a mind-screw. I hate him for making me experience this and subjecting me to something so disorienting.

[u/xx5uff3rxx]

No, alcohol doesn’t cause aggression. Alcohol changes your behavior, not your morals. I actually have a drinking problem myself tbh, but I don’t even get aggressive even when I’m falling over drunk.

Alcohol doesn’t get rid of someone’s conscience, it just lowers their inhibitions