Dear Dr. Love:
Why does alcohol make SOME people ANGRY? Is is true that alcohol brings out your TRUE feelings?
Anger and Alcohol
You asked, 'Does alcohol make some people angry?' Alcohol is a Central Nervous System Depressant, which means that it lowers many brain functions. One of the brain functions which is diminished is repression. Repression is an unconscious mechanism in which the mind cuts off thoughts and feelings that are unacceptable to the self.
Everyone represses intolerable feelings, but, obviously, what is intolerable for one may be fine for another. Some people may repress angry feelings and accept sexual feelings, and for others the opposite may be true. The point is, whatever feelings or thoughts are repressed are suddenly made available when alcohol is consumed. So, in answer to your question, yes, alcohol, by lowering repression, will bring out buried feelings of anger. But, the same is true, as I said already, about sexual feelings. I am sure that you have seen horny drunks who are happy to hump bar stools.
The more a person owns his feelings during sober moments, the less likely is it that the feelings will pop out when under the influence of alcohol.
