Impulse Control Disorders: Spurred by Brain Interruptions
Impulse control disorders – such as compulsive gambling, setting fires, compulsive shopping and even addictive Internet usage – can be life-disrupting and perplexing, in addition to creating serious consequences for society.
People with these disorders have an inability to control impulsive behaviors, and are repeatedly unable to stop engaging in actions that may even harm themselves or others. Impulsive disorders are recognized as a specific group of psychiatric disorders and display similar symptoms, even though they can manifest across a range of behaviors, from skin-picking to stealing to sexual acts.
While everyone experiences impulsive behavior from time to time, impulsive control disorders are also hallmarked by a sense of tension or arousal before beginning the behavior. The act itself becomes gratifying, and can bring on a release of tension despite the ramifications.
It is believed that the tendency for impulsive behaviors increases when communication is interrupted between the regions of the brain that control feelings like fear, reactions to conflict and emotional outbursts. There is also some research indicating certain medications to treat other diseases could spur compulsive behaviors.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders (DSM-IV) lists the following five impulsive control disorders; experts also consider other disorders to fall within this category.
Kleptomania is characterized by an irresistible urge to steal when the person either doesn’t need the items or can pay for them. The disorder may account for as many as 100,000 arrests for stealing each year.
Intermittent explosive disorder affects 1.4 million people in the U.S. and is demonstrated by repeated episodes of aggression that are not connected to another mental disorder, illness or drug-induced. These episodes of anger happen outside of what is considered normal reactions to stress.
While 86 percent of Americans gamble for fun, pathological gambling is a disorder marked by repetitive gambling that becomes life-damaging. Believed to begin in adolescence, about 1-3 percent of adults have this disorder, often in conjunction with depression, anxiety or substance abuse problems.
Trichotillomania manifests as an unstoppable desire to pluck out hairs, following a pattern of increasing anxiety and new urges to pluck. Sufferers realize the behavior is irrational and often struggle with social relationships and basic home functions.
Compulsive fire-setting attributed to pyromania may account for 60 percent of all significant fires in U.S. urban areas, mostly started by adolescents in the age span of 11 to 18 years. Affecting around 2.4 to 3.5 percent of the population, adolescent boys are more likely to have the disorder than girls, and it may be connected to other aggressive and antisocial behaviors.
Though not officially listed by the DSM-IV, several other impulsive disorders are documented. Compulsive-impulsive skin picking can become extensive and habitual to the point of disfigurement, typically affecting women more than men.
A relatively new impulsive disorder, compulsive-impulsive Internet usage disorder is described as an addictive preoccupation to the Internet. From chat rooms to surfing and even pornography, users have difficulty removing themselves from the Internet and may also have disorders like pathological gambling or sexual compulsions.
People with compulsive-impulsive sexual behaviors feel a strong drive toward the sexual actions, either in acts or thoughts. This disorder includes activities outside of conventional acts, such as public nudity, and can become excessive. Compulsive-impulsive shoppers are also unable to resist the behavior, reflected in repeated or lengthy shopping trips or purchases they can’t afford.
Across the spectrum, people with these disorders are unable to control their impulses, regardless of the extreme stress and dysfunction they cause. Further research on brain region interactions and possible connections to prescription medications may open doors toward understanding these complicated disorders.
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