SSRIs and Alcohol Induced Aggression
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Most people would describe themselves as a happy drunk, but there are some people who unfortunately become very angry and aggressive when they drink alcohol. If this happens to you or someone you know, then you may be wondering what’s going on and why this happens.
How Alcohol Impacts Our Mood
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is commonly called the happy chemical because it contributes to wellbeing and happiness. Serotonin is very important for maintaining mood balance, and low serotonin levels are linked to depression. Alteration of the levels of serotonin in the brain has also been linked to addiction. It has been proposed that there is a subset of problem drinkers who are particularly vulnerable to alcohol’s effect on serotonin levels, and that this may be the cause of alcohol-induced aggression.
The serotonin deficiency hypothesis, developed in the 80’s and 90’s, links low levels of serotonin to an increased propensity of violent behavior.
How Alcohol Affects Serotonin
Alcohol increases serotonin levels initially, which is why we believe alcohol makes us happy. Once the alcohol wears off though, there’s a drop in serotonin levels below baseline, which could be a cause of the depression many of us feel after drinking too much. Repeat this process enough times and your baseline serotonin levels drop very low.
Studies on Alcohol-Induced Aggression
A 2010 study published in Genes, Brain and Behavior compared mice who were aggressive when they had alcohol and those who weren’t. They found that the aggressive mice had less serotonin expressed in their prefrontal cortex, which is involved in personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior. This could reflect either a side effect of drinking for certain mice or as a trait that makes them vulnerable to alcohol-induced aggression. In other words, it’s not clear whether less serotonin in the prefrontal cortex is the cause or the effect.
Another study published in 2006 in the Journal of Biological Psychiatry looked at teens with the short variant compared to teens with longer variants. They found that having the short variant was a predictor of higher alcohol intake. It’s important to note that unless you are a participant in some type of genetic study, it’s basically impossible to know for certain what your genetics are. Sequencing the human genome is not a simple task.
Other studies found lower amounts of serotonin transporters in people with alcohol use disorder who were sober for at least 3 weeks. This correlated with depression and anxiety during withdrawal.
Listen to episode 13 to learn more about serotonin and aggression:
FAQs on SSRIs and Drunk Aggression
Why do I get mad at my partner when I drink?
Drinking alcohol makes us more emotional and more impulsive because of the way that it affects the brain. Mix these together and you have a recipe for drunk-fueled arguments. I used to fight with my husband all the time when we were drinking. Now that I don’t drink and he drinks much less, we never fight like that.
Why does alcohol make someone mean?
Alcohol can enhance someone’s negative personality traits. Some people become angry drunks because of their genetics and the way alcohol affects their serotonin levels. It’s similar to why some people may cry at the end of the night.
Cite this article:
Tietz, G. SSRIs and Alcohol Induced Aggression. Sober Powered. 2020
Sources:
Pompili M, Serafini G, Innamorati M, et al. Suicidal behavior and alcohol abuse. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010;7(4):1392-1431.
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Golebiowska, J., Hołuj, M., Potasiewicz, A. et al. Serotonin transporter deficiency alters socioemotional ultrasonic communication in rats. Sci Rep 9, 20283 (2019).
Hinckers, A. et al. Low Level of Response to Alcohol as Associated with Serotonin Transporter Genotype and High Alcohol Intake in Adolescents. Biological Psychiatry. 2006.
Sander, T., Harms, H., Lesch, K.‐P., Dufeu, P., Kuhn, S., Hoehe, M., Rommelspacher, H. and Schmidt, L.G. (1997), Association Analysis of a Regulatory Variation of the Serotonin Transporter Gene with Severe Alcohol Dependence. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 21: 1356-1359.
Chiavegatto, S. et al. Individual Vulnerability to Escalated Aggressive Behavior by a Low Dose of Alcohol: Decreased Serotonin Receptor mRNA in the Prefrontal Cortex of Male Mice. Genes, Brain and Behavior. 2010.
