How Does Alcohol Change a Person's Personality?

Charles was known to everyone as a kind, considerate and a meek person who would not harm a fly. Even though he was a big man, he never got into arguments and would walk away from confrontations.  

So why was he standing in the dock of the Magistrates Court being charged with violent behaviour, assault and damaging private property? 

His Defence Lawyer pleaded mitigation on the grounds that Charles was drunk at the time and was not responsible for his actions. 

The Prosecution Lawyer emphasised that being drunk was not an excuse and Charles was fully responsible for his actions. 

He was sent to prison for two months and on his release he asked to see me for a consultation to try Hypnotherapy.    He thought that hypnotherapy treatment may prevent something similar happening again. 

The Consultation

As he walked through the door of my hypnotherapy consultation room, I could see he lacked confidence. His was looking at the floor and making no eye contact.    I found myself feeling sorry for him and it crossed my mind that were I one of the growing number of bullies in this world, I would have no problem bullying him. I have no idea why I thought that – a strange thought indeed! 

When I asked him why he was seeing me, his reply was, 

“I have just been released from prison.” 

I admit I was shocked and had to control my voice whwn I asked him “Why?” 

“I was out with my friends and they secretly put vodka in my drinks and I got very drunk. It was the first time I have ever drank alcohol.” 

He then continued with, “I don’t know what come over me. Someone said I looked like an idiot and I suddenly went wild.   I don’t remember exactly what I did, but I was told that I punched one of my friends so hard it broke his jaw and then started to smash up everything I could get my hands on.” 

Then after a momentary pause, he added, 

“It took six men to restrain me and eventually hand me over to the police.” 

In as calm a voice I could muster, I asked, “So how do you think I can help you with Hypnotherapy treatment?” 

He replied, looking down at the floor, “Perhaps you can hypnotise me and tell me never to get violent again?”    

He was pleading rather than just answering a question and I felt a deep empathy for his as I know from personal experience how difficult it is to get real help when needed. 

“Charles, let me firstly say that I understand how these things can happen. It is an unfortunate part of the functions of the Unconscious Mind.” 

He was now looking at me intensely with a puzzled expression. 

“Secondly, let me say that hypnosis, or Hypnotherapy Treatment for alcohol related problems, does not work in such a simple way. Even if I could, I would not try to give you hypnotic suggestions that you will never drink alcohol again or behave in the way you did. Or that you would never be violet again. That would be taking your money under false pretentions as I doubt the suggestions would last more than a month or two.” 

He looked disappointed and started to stand up to leave. 

“Wait, Charles. Let me finish.” 

He sat down again looking at the floor. 

“What I was about to say was that I will firstly explain why you behaved as you did and then we will create a course of treatment to remove the root cause of the problem. Hopefully, that will ensure that it is unlikely you will ever act that way again. Agreed?” 

Charles nodded his head in agreement and we then continued the session. 

The Explanation and Treatment

I explained to Charles that we all have two parts to our minds and those two parts are sometimes in conflict. The part of our mind that we are fully aware of is the Conscious Mind. This controls our behaviour and character. It is developed throughout our lives and produces what is sometimes known as the ‘Persona’, how we want others to see us. 

The part of the mind that we are not aware of at a Conscious level is the Unconscious Mind, sometimes knows as the ‘Subconscious’.   That part of our mind continually tries to influence the Conscious Mind. 

Unfortunately, the Unconscious Mind contains some pretty bad things that if they were allowed to surface would cause many problems in the society we live in. 

An example of that is the Survival Instinct that is within the Unconscious Mind.   When that is allowed to surface, which it does under certain conditions, we are capable of killing to survive. Soldiers in a war, or being a member of a lynch mob, for example. 

However, in a normal society, the feeling of wanting to kill is suppressed and not allowed to surface.    

So what stops the undesirable instincts and feelings surfacing?

Simply put, it is the ‘Ego’. On my Hypnotherapy Training Course, I like to describe that as the ‘Gate Keeper’ that is like a trap door between the Unconscious and the Conscious Minds. It is developed throughout our lives in accordance with the society we live in. For example, in the Amazon jungle, being naked in public may be acceptable, but in the the U.K., it is not and even though a woman cannot be prosecuted a man can.

The Ego is there to protect and is very strong – it has to be otherwise bad stuff would be flowing freely between our Unconscious and Conscious Minds.

Now when we get drunk, a certain phenomena takes place.   The connection between our minds begins to separate.   The move away from each other and the result is the Ego is considerably weakened.  

Because of this, instincts and deep rooted hidden feelings surface and the Conscious and body react accordingly.    Sometimes it is good. Sometimes it is bad. The violent person becomes gentle. The gentle person becomes violent. It all depends on what lies within the Unconscious Mind.

The treatment I gave Charles was geared towards diagnosing the reasons why he had to become violent and to condition the Unconscious Mind into no longer needing to be violent. Obviously, there were background reasons, producing amongst other things resentment and anger. They had to be analysed and dealt with.

His treatment, although prolonged, was successful and as far as I am aware, Charles no longer displays violent tendencies, even after drinking alcohol.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that under certain conditions the contents of the Unconscious Mind can have beneficial results if allowed to surface. When danger threatens, it is the Unconscious Mind that deals with it, so if the Ego’s trap door remained firmly shut, we would not be able to survive as human beings.

However, there are times, usually artificially produced, for example alcohol abuse, when that trap door allows unwanted material to surface.

Hypnotherapy treatment can often help to control the Ego’s trap door and that is what I teach on my Hypnotherapy Diploma Course.

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Hope you enjoyed this article.

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NOTE:  The whole of this article can be reproduced providing the following Bio is included:

"Robert Shields, is the Principal of The Robert Shields College and runs a low cost Hypnotherapy Diploma Training Course that includes a money-back guarantee. Details can be found at: http://www.hypnotherapy-training.com  He is also the originator of Fear Elimination Therapy that removes phobias and fears in minutes (Not N.L.P.). Details at: http://www.hypnotherapy-training.com/fet.html . "