Anger and Addiction

According to a 1998 Department of justice report entitled Alcohol and Crime about three- million violent crimes occur each year in which victims perceive the offender to have been drinking at the time of the offense. These offenses include rape, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. It is interesting to note that 35% of the victims identified themselves as being under the influence at the time of the offense. The three- million violent crimes do not include numerous victims who have been maimed or killed by drunk drivers. Convicted murderers in State prisons reported that alcohol was a factor in about half the murders they committed.

Gang members often conclude a night of drinking with a bloody drive by shooting. Alcohol use can be identified in a number of college campus rapes and there appears to be a significant correlation between domestic violence and alcohol consumption.
When alcohol enters the blood stream it acts as a depressant. It loosens the inhibitions of the user, often causing them to become involved in behavior they would normally shy away from.

Janice a former client of mine recited the story of how she resisted an arrest for driving under the influence. She kicked and screamed her way into the back of a police car and once she was corralled into the jail cell she gutted a mattress and stuffed its innards down the toilet in her cell. The jailers found her passed out in a two- inch pool of toilet water. Obviously the police department was not too thrilled by her behavior.

If you happen to be drunk during angry confrontation you may lack the ability to reason effectively. Such confrontations generally lead into acts of aggression and subsequent incarceration.

You may have justifiable reasons for being mean and acting ugly. I am convinced that somewhere someone really hurt you; they betrayed your confidence. They abused you and left you with a memory of misery and pain.

It is by far not my intent to be insensitive, but holding on to the pain of the past can cause more damage to yourself than the individual or individuals who injured you.

The things we suffer can either make us better or bitter.

Such volumes of pain would easily destroy us if we had not found avenues to cope.

We needed a way to avoid pain and simultaneously institute a soothing pleasure. Food, cocaine, alcohol, heroine, sex and a number of unnamed addictions became our answer.

We knew we could count on them to calm the beast of anger on the inside. Soon, we forgot why we were angry at all. All we knew was we could fix the frustration, loneliness, boredom and disappointment with one act of indulgence.

One act of indulgence became two and two became three until we found ourselves caught in an infinite, dizzying helix of pleasure and pain.

The rush of rage can produce a similar high to your common street narcotic. The problem is you manufacture the drug in your head. Your mind and your body may be conditioned to "overheat" any time you feel fearful, threatened or insecure. The cravings for anger will not subside quickly. You may need to enlist a variety of coping mechanisms to get you through the tough times.

You should look for someone to talk to. If you look hard enough there may be people already in your life in whom you can trust. If not find someone who has a listening ear. Pastors, priests, therapists and community group members dedicate their lives and time to listening and helping those in crises.

Educate yourself. Reading books or listening to CD's brings a since of self-awareness. When you become self-aware you become better skilled at managing your emotions and controlling your behavior.