Why Does Alcohol Make Me Angry?

Your friends always seem to enjoy themselves when they’ve had a few drinks. But when you consume alcohol, your mood plummets and your actions become erratic and even threatening. To break this problematic behavior pattern, you need to start by asking yourself, “Why does alcohol make me angry, and what can I do about it?”

Understanding Anger and Aggression

Anger is a powerful emotion that can be both healthy and harmful. 

In times of crisis or when under threat, appropriately channeled anger can be a source of both strength and motivation. Uncontrolled anger, on the other hand, can lead to conflict, aggressiveness, and violence.

Factors that can intensify a person’s anger and undermine their self-control include:

• Certain mental health conditions: Angry outbursts can be symptomatic of several mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Exposure to trauma and stress: People who have histories of being abused, assaulted, or otherwise violated may be more prone to anger than are those with no history of trauma. Also, stressors such as unrelenting pressure at work or serious financial problems can erode a person’s ability to control their anger.
• Social influences and cultural norms: Outward expressions of anger are more acceptable in certain cultures, or among certain groups. For example, acts of anger and aggressiveness by women are often judged much more harshly than are similar behaviors by men. 
• Use of alcohol and other drugs: Alcohol, cocaine, and methamphetamine are examples of the many mind-altering substances that have been linked with anger and aggressiveness.

What Does Alcohol Do to My Body While Drinking?

Alcohol’s impact on your body includes disrupting how areas of your brain process information and communicate with each other, which can cause anger control problems.

As alluded to in the previous section, anger can be a beneficial response when you or someone that you care about is threatened. When your body perceives a threat, it activates your “fight or flight” response. The effects of this response include increased heart rate, greater muscle tension, and diminished pain sensitivity.

Unfortunately, alcohol can hinder your brain’s ability to accurately identify threats, while also weakening its ability to suppress anger and other fight or flight responses. Thus, you may be more likely to act aggressively in response to perceived threats that don’t actually exist.

How Alcohol Affects Anger and Aggression

Alcohol use has been linked with a wide range of aggressive and violent behaviors, including:

• Violence between strangers
• Intimate partner violence
• Child abuse and neglect
• Sexual aggression
• Violent crime
• Homicide
• Suicide

Why Do I Get Angry When I Drink Alcohol?

Alcohol initially acts as a stimulant, which means that it speeds up the functioning of your central nervous system (CNS). As you continue to drink, the drug begins to have a depressive effect, which slows the deliver of messages through your CNS. 

Common features of the simulant-like phase include talkativeness, impulsiveness, and diminished inhibitions. Depending on factors such as your personality and recent experiences, these effects can push you toward “life of the party” status or prompt you to lash out with anger.

Alcohol’s depressant-like effects can include confusion, diminished cognition, and low mood. Intoxication has also been associated with a phenomenon called alcohol myopia, which is characterized by a narrowing of your focus and attention. 

When this narrowed focus targets a memory or experience that angers you, it can intensify your negative emotions. This may cause you to descend into rage.

Why Does Alcohol Make Some People Angry?

Along with wanting to know, “Why does alcohol make me angry?” you may also wonder why this drug doesn’t have the same effect on everyone else. Here are a few reasons why the link between alcohol and anger is stronger among some people and more tenuous among others:

• Personality traits: Some people are just naturally more impulsive, aggressive, or easily angered than others. When these people drink, these characteristics may become more pronounced and intense.
• Reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism: Some people use alcohol as a way to cope with setbacks and frustrations. This means that they may already be leaning toward anger before they even start drinking, and the alcohol may simply amplify their emotional distress.
• Excessive drinking: Some people can successfully control their emotions when they’ve only had a few drinks – but once they reach a certain level of intoxication, that control vanishes. 

How Do You Deal With an Angry Drunk Person?

Spending time with someone who’s both drunk and angry can present a challenging—and potentially dangerous—situation. Here are a few tips on how to prevent the situation from getting any worse than it already is:

• Remain calm: This can be extremely difficult, but responding with anger or aggressiveness will likely only exacerbate the problem. When you stay calm, you’ll have a better chance of de-escalating the situation.
• Don’t argue: As is the case with anger and aggressiveness, an angry drunk will probably respond to your arguments by becoming more argumentative themselves.  
• Distract them: Alcohol intoxication can cause some people to fixate on one thing. This is why even minor annoyances can lead to extended rage. In some cases, getting them to turn their attention toward another topic can resolve the problem.
• Walk away: When dealing with an angry drug person, your physical and emotional safety should always be your priorities. If they are unwilling or unable to calm down, your best move may be to walk, run, or drive away.

Tips For Managing Alcohol Consumption

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Why does alcohol make me angry?”, you’re not alone. Alcohol can have a significant impact on your emotions and behavior, often intensifying feelings of anger or irritation. The best ways to avoid alcohol-related anger are to not drink or to only drink in moderation. If you need to do a better job at managing your alcohol consumption, here are a few suggestions:

• Set a limit before you start drinking: Before you go out, decide how many alcoholic drinks you can safely consume, then stick to that limit. Once you’re at your predetermined maximum, switch to sodas, tonic water, or other non-alcoholic beverages.
• Know your triggers: Triggers are circumstances that can cause you to drink more than you intended. When you know what your triggers are, you can choose to avoid them. You can also develop strategies to manage them without turning to alcohol.
• Get support from a loved one: Talk to a close friend or family member about your goals and challenges. It can be easier to stick to your limit or deal with triggers when you’re with someone who knows what you’re trying to do. 
• Participate in alcohol-free activities: If you struggle to control your alcohol use around others who are drinking, try to avoid the temptation. Choose activities that take place in drug-free environments.
• Seek professional treatment: If you can’t moderate your alcohol use, it may be time to talk to a professional. This is especially true if you can’t go more than a day or two without drinking. Getting care from a trusted provider can help you regain control of your behaviors. With the right support, you can begin living a healthier and more satisfying life.

Contact Phoenix Rising Recovery

If you’ve been unable to limit or end your alcohol use, Phoenix Rising Recovery is here to help. 

Our rehab center in Palm Springs offers detox, residential treatment, and outpatient programming. We serve adults who are dependent on alcohol and other drugs. We also support patients with co-occurring mental health concerns.

To learn more or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

Published: 4/14/2025