Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease; for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions or principle with who we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships, (including sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were sore. We were "burned up." On our grudge list we set opposite each name our injuries. Was it our self-esteem, our security, our ambitions, our personal, or sex relations, which had been interfered with? (Alcoholics Anonymous-Big Book)

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.


Shannon Munford M.A. MFT, CAMF
www.daybreakservices.com
http://angerarchive.blogspot.com

Shannon Munford is the President and CEO of Daybreak Counseling Service, an anger management education center in Los Angeles, California.