N&PD Moderators: Skorpio
Dopamine and aggression
Artificial Emotion
Bluelighter
I've read that people become naturally aggressive due to high dopamine levels and I know that some recreational drugs that have an affect on the dopamine system, like opiates, cocaine and amphetamines, cause aggression in many users. Why then, do these drugs make me passive rather than aggressive? Is there some other mechanism in my brain that causes aggression?
permastoned
Bluelighter
I dont think they make most people aggressive, I would totally disagree. I read a study that amphetamines alone do not make people aggressive.
They make you passive because they make you feel happy, why bother being aggressive when you feel happy, you are on top of the world!
Alcohol makes people very aggressive.
Noradrenaline plays a huge role in aggression, I've been on an NRI before and i turned into the most aggressive person in the bronx. Fo serial.
dread
Bluelighter
Stimulants never made me aggressive.
Artificial Emotion
Bluelighter
I've read plenty of threads on opiates making people angry (not because they're disappointed with their high). How does this happen?
negrogesic
Bluelight Crew
Opiates can make me irritable, and I suppose at times, aggressive. I am not sure why, but I don't think it's a product of dopamine. With methamp (very dopaminergic) I have, if anything, reduced aggression.
Regarding methamp, you may be kind of a unique exception in that matter.
permastoned
Bluelighter
^ No, I am the same. And Methamp makes me more passive than amp (not surprising considering it is a far more effective releaser of serotonin).
Opiates can make me angry as fuck. Like I will be walking through town and wanting to punch anyone who gets SLIGHTLY in my way in the face, and have gone completely off at someone for something quite small many a time on an opioid.
Artificial Emotion
Bluelighter
negrogesic, is it me or did you come back from the dead?
negrogesic
Bluelight Crew
^^^In a sense, I suppose I did (I used to abuse drugs very heavily; now I don't, at all).
RigaCrypto
Bluelighter
From my experience and from what I understand, alcohol does not make people aggressive either. It just removes inhibitions against aggression.
PetersKeys
Bluelighter
I think the aggression is related more to the inhibitory effects which would explain alcohol. Stimulants however make me aggresive and super confident whereas the person with ADHD becomes calm and less talkitive. So I guess its related to your neurochemistry. Even some downers can act as stimulents. Butabital, a barbituate in fiorocet makes me extremely hyper and talkative.
Tsukasa
Bluelighter
It also makes you more emotionally volatile, so you're more prone to anger. Also, some people report that liquors like whiskey make them more prone to anger than wine for example.
permastoned
Bluelighter
Just a hunch.. I think that may have been mentioned.
I think this has been discussed a million times before and when it comes down to it, it is the personality that is the cause of the aggression, and the drug is merely a catalyst so to speak.
Therefore the drug can not be blamed for the aggression.
Artificial Emotion
Bluelighter
But anger IS caused by increased dopamine levels. Or maybe it's the other way around, in which case dopaminergic drugs wouldn't necessarily cause rage. I just know that the link between anger and elevated dopamine levels in the brain has been established - this is how some people can become addicted to violence.
