I do believe it is. My AH would try to provoke an argument when drinking. He would accuse me of cheating or hiding things. He had some sort of conspiracy thought up that I got everyone against him. He would say that if it weren't for me he would have lots of money. Riiight! It did progress through the years. He thought that the cops where hiding in the shadows around our house. I basically learned to detach during these times, and let him continue an argument with the wall.
Before it had gotten bad, I would let him rant in the living room. I would just go into the bedroom detached from the situation. I made the bedroom into my little sanctuary with candles and books. After awhile, though, that wouldn't be enough. He would come in there. At that point I left the home. Whenever he got that way I would stay at a family members home or I would go out and do something with friends or for myself.
With his last tirade, I think he mixed alcohol with Ativan, and he was actually seeing demons coming after him. He used a Mag Lite flashlight and was swinging at the garage door thinking he was hitting them. I was at work during this one.
Now he is in recovery doing good in an outpatient rehab.