Domestic Violence: Understanding and Treating the Drug Addicted Male Batterer

Although not really all that alarming, statistics regarding the amount of batterers under the influenced during their assaults show an amazing rate of at least 60% being under the influence of alcohol and 70% under the influence of both alcohol and drugs during the assault. This suggests that mind-altering substances including drugs and alcohol work to fuel a person’s anger and aggression, which when added to an already explosive personality, causes violence, specifically domestic violence. The combination can also increase or make a person’s behavior explosive although they don’t have volatile behavior. Alcohol and drugs increase the severity of the violence and the likelihood that violence will occur.

Another statistic showed that the use of alcohol and drugs enhanced the likelihood of violence than just alcohol alone. However according to certain drugs and their classifications and effects, violence or aggression should not occur in most individuals. Alcohol is labeled a depressant, which means it depresses the central nervous system, and is suppose to relax or calm a person down. Heroin is also a depressant and causes it’s users to “space out” for hours. Although heroin doesn’t cause many to be aggressive or violent, alcohol definitely does. This may be because alcohol is also labeled a stimulant, which stimulates the central nervous system, and can cause erratic, unpredictable, and violent.