Alcohol & Drugs ... the cause of violence?

Many would say that the use of drugs and alcohol cause violent behavior but is this something that was proven or thought of? For years many people believed that the cause of violence was alcohol and the use of some type of drug. But no one ever dared to raise questions against such a statement. In reading the article I learned that the use of these things do not cause violent behavior and the phrase 'I didn't know what I was doing, I was drunk" is now used an excuse for irrational behavior such as domestic violence. I myself believed that substance abuse was a reason for violence because growing up that's what I was told and that's what people instilled in me. After reading the article and the textbook I now have a different view on "theories" and the traditions that people have. When I think of abuse or the beating of a woman the first thing that comes to mind is Chris Brown and Rihanna's situation a few years ago. As I think of this situation I don't recall anyone saying that Chris Brown was "under the influence", he beat her for his own personal reasons. Yet no one has questioned whether abusing substances has to do with violence in relationships. In reading the text book I learned that social structure teaches people how to act, therefore we go with the labels that are put on us by society and we never really step back "out of the theories and truly think for ourselves. The cause of the abuse is linked to everything going on in one's life maybe what they saw as a child going up or maybe their belief of having power over a woman or maybe they were abused as a child or maybe just had a rough time growing up. There are many different things that affect people and how they react or treat other people usually these things stem from childhood. In my opinion I believe one can change what was instilled in them as a child and soon be a better person only if they are willing to..