Although not everyone who displays violent tendencies has a problem with drugs or alcohol, years of research has revealed a distinct link between the two.
The Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment has for example noted that more than 75% of people who enter rehab for drug addiction report having performed acts of violence including mugging, physical assault and using a weapon to attack another person.
The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs also found that although a higher percentage of men showed violence, the difference between the genders wasn’t as disproportionate as most people would assume. Worryingly however, the overall rates of violence were shockingly high. 72% of men and 50% of women were found to have committed violent acts before entering substance abuse therapy.
Why exactly is there such a strong correlation between substance abuse and violence however?
The connection between substance abuse and violence
In 2010, a Scandinavian study found that while the risk of violent behavior increases with intoxication, this was only the case with individuals who were prone to suppressing feelings of anger when sober.
Among those who admitted to burying their angry feelings, researchers observed a 5% increase in violent behavior, followed by a 10% increase in drinking to the point of getting drunk.
In summary, people who couldn’t work their anger out were more likely to get drunk and that state of drunkenness was connected to an increase in the risk of engaging in violent behavior. Those who did not suppress their angry feelings however, did not show a similar association.
Since drinking alcohol can lower inhibitions, compel risky behavior and rob us of our self-control, an individual with unreleased rage can act out when sufficiently intoxicated.
Domestic violence
Sadly, drug and alcohol abuse often leads to domestic violence. It’s thought that this is the case for a number of reasons:
- The perpetrator may have an increased risk of violence in the proximal model – suggesting that alcohol compromises the decision-making ability of the violent person
- The person doing the abusing may have an inherent personality characteristic that can increase the likelihood of intimate partner violence and substance abuse
- They may have a power motive
- It could be part of a generational cycle. Being subjected to experiences and domestic violence during childhood can increase the link between substance abuse and domestic violence
The impact of domestic violence has been found to be so profound that it can even lead to the victim developing issues with substance abuse themselves. One particular study found that women with a history of being abused are nine times more likely to abuse drugs and 15 times more likely to abuse alcohol compared to women who have never been the victim of violence.
Substance abuse facts
A number of statistics show the shocking link between domestic violence and substance abuse:
- Regular alcohol abuse is one of the leading risk factors for partner violence in the US
- When there is a battering incident coupled with alcohol abuse, the battering may be more severe and result in greater injury to the victim or victims
- The Department of Justice found in 2002 that 36% of victims in domestic violence programs also had problems with substance abuse
- According to a majority of domestic violence program directors (51%), a woman’s use of alcohol can be a barrier to her being able to leave a violent relationship with a spouse or partner
- An even greater percentage (87%) of domestic violence program directors agree with the statement that the risk of intimate partner violence increases when both partners abuse drugs or alcohol
If you think that you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol and you would like to speak to a substance abuse counsellor, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling and we will be more than happy to help.
