Why does alcoholism cause domestic abuse so often?

Question

I’m more so curious what it is about alcohol’s effects that make it far more likely for a person to hurt the ones they love. I speculate that it has something to do with impulse control, but I can’t be sure.

Thanks in advance.

In: Biology

Answer 1

Correlation and causation. You’ve got both going on when it comes to alcoholism and domestic violence.

Alcohol abuse will decrease a person’s capacity to function, so they are more likely to be abusive or negligent, but alcohol abuse often results from the same impulse control issues that would lead a non-alcoholic to be abusive. Many people use alcohol as a form of self-medication for problems like depression or ADHD. These underlying conditions already impair their executive function. Even without the addition of alcohol, they may express their struggles through an explosive temper, verbal cruelty, etc.