causes of aggressive behavior
Aggressive behavior is defined as repeated behavior that seeks to harm the basic rights of other people, according to the University of North Carolina School of Social Work. Aggressive behavior may sometimes feel uncontrollable, and keeps you feeling angry and looking for ways to cause harm. It can also affect the way that you function in a social setting. If aggressive behavior is a problem for you, understanding the various causes of aggressive behavior can help you identify your triggers and seek treatment for better function.
Anger
Anger is a common cause of aggression. Anger is a keystone emotion that other less common emotions feed through. Envy, greed, fear and desperation can all become anger through the course of emotion, which can result in aggression toward others, according to the International Society of Individual Liberty. Aggression is simply one of the ways that anger is manifested and displayed to others. You might find yourself feeling aggressive when provoked to anger by someone else's words or actions.
Substance Abuse
The constant use of certain substances can alter your psychological reactions to certain situations, leaving you looking for a fight and ready to argue, says a 2010 issue of The American Journal on Addictions. Alcohol commonly alters a person's reactions, which often manifest as aggressive behavior; the "bar fight" is not a new phenomenon, and usually occurs because of intoxication.
Other substances, like illegal drugs, can alter your behavior, resulting in aggression. Steroids specifically increase the amount of testosterone in the body, which can cause sharp changes in disposition and make you feel overly aggressive, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Other substances, like illegal drugs, can alter your behavior, resulting in aggression. Steroids specifically increase the amount of testosterone in the body, which can cause sharp changes in disposition and make you feel overly aggressive, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Instinct
Psychologists Robert A. Baron and Deborah R. Richardson argue in their book "Human Aggression" that aggression often occurs as your body's response to certain instincts. When you feel unsafe or in jeopardy, your body releases adrenaline hormones into your brain to promote a fight-or-flight reaction to certain situations. When you feel aggressive toward another person, it may occur because of your body's response to sensing danger or fear.
Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder, or ASPD, is characterized by a continual disrespect for other's rights. Those who suffer from ASPD may cause fights, use aggression to intimidate others, behave deceitfully or show little remorse for their aggressive actions. ASPD is recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, and can become exacerbated by alcohol abuse, says the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
