Impulse Control
Disorders
http://lapalomatreatment.com/articles/
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By: Mackenzie, Anya and Bailey!
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Definition: the inability to control violent impulses. It can be
difficult to identify this disorder because it is often
confused with bad temper or behaviour.
Causes:

Too much testosterone

Childhood exposure to illegal substances

Head trauma, seizures, brain
infections

Grown up with unstable family

No role model in early life

Low self-esteem, insecurity
http://helpingpsychology.com/wpcontent/uploads/2010/07/iStock_0
00011086631XSmall.jpg
Symptoms:
• Can last 10-20 mins
• Repeated, unpredictable episodes
• No sign of aggression between episodes
• Injuries and destruction of property
• Irritable, increased anger, rage, tingling, chest tightness,
headache
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vbS
7BIUoZ94/SZeEnqP1OLI/AAA
AAAAABI8/3lNsKcA38iU/s400
/abuse+03.jpg
Treatments/Therapies:
• Medication and/or individual/group therapy
• Cognitive behaviour therapy
• Medications: antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antianxiety agents, mood regulators
Kleptomania
Definition: the inability to resist the urge to steal things,
although the items they steal have no personal gain. It is
quite rare, and should not be confused with shop lifting.
Causes:

Possible genetic component

Depression, mood disorders, obsessive
compulsive disorder (OCD) are often present
as well

Most cases occur in females

Large amounts of stress can trigger an
episode
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/kleptomaniatreatment.html
Symptoms:
• Urges to steal
• Increased tension leading up to theft, pleasure while
stealing, guilt and shame afterwards
• Uncomfortably anxious, tense, or aroused
• Spontaneous
• Things like arguments can trigger an episode
• Can show a fetish (stealing the same kind of thing)
http://spotlight.femina.in/full-story/celebs-secret-illness-kleptomania
Treatments/Therapies:

medications including; antidepressants, mood stabilizers,
benzodiazepines, anti-seizure medications, addiction
Medication

spsychotherapy: cognitive behaviour therapy,
covert sensitization, aversion therapy, systematic
desensitization
http://hubpages.com/hub/Kleptomania-Be-Aware
http://newsletter.nlb.gov.sg/back_apr_may06/reviews/bookreviews/health.asp
Pathological Gambling
Definition: an uncontrollable urge to gamble. It
destroys relationships, causes financial problems,
or can cause problems with the law, the individual
can not stop.
Causes:
• Highly competitive
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.ht
ml?id=13296
• Problems with brain’s serotonin, norepinephrine and
dopamine
• Believe they have control over the situation, which
relieves their stress
• May have a genetic component
• Majority of cases of pathological gambling occur in white
males
Symptoms:
• Can be more serious during stress or depression
• preoccupied with gambling and getting money
• Usually about the excitement
• taking time from work/family
• feel remorse afterwards
• borrow or steal money
• Lying
http://www.casinoteach.com/
Treatments/Therapies:
• medications include: antidepressants, mood stabilizers,
narcotic antagonists

Psychotherapy: cognitive behaviour therapy, group
therapy
Pyromania
Definition: uncontrollable impulse to set fires repeatedly
with no motive.
Causes:
• Feels repressed by authority, but seeks attention
• May have been neglected
• Stressful events can trigger an episode
• Can have bad social skills, and poor relationships, if any
http://abtomorrow.blogspot.com/2010/06/pyromania.html
Symptoms:
• deliberate fire setting (more than
once)
• interest or attraction to fire
http://shineanthology.wordpress.com/2009/12/24/should-sf-die/
• Tension or excitement prior to incident
• pleasure/relief after or when setting fire
Treatment/therapies:
• treatment isn't found to work very well, and there aren't
many approaches
• medications: serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• psychotherapy: behaviour modification
Trichotillomania
Definition: the uncontrollable desire to pluck hair from their
body. This can be the hair on their head, but also can
include the eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair.
This can results in complete hair loss.
Causes:
• Mutations in a gene
• Childhood abuse - including sexual,
http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/scalpcare/problems/trichotillomania1.htm
physical, or emotional
• May be a learned disorder
• Stressful situations could trigger an episode
Symptoms:
•
patchy/bald areas (head, eye lashes, eyebrows, etc)
•
chewing/eating/playing with pulled out hair
•
rubbing pulled out hair across lips or face
•
sometimes use tools (tweezers, etc)
•
Can be intentional or unintentional
Treatments/therapies:
•
medications: antidepressents
•
psychotherapy: cognitive behaviour therapy,
http://www.pgbeautygroomingscience.com/hair-loss.html
acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
http://ontrich.com/inspirationalphotos-of-trichotillomania.html
Sources
• http://allpsych.com/disorders/impulse_control/index.html
• http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-intermittentexplosive-disorder-a127176
• http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=114
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/search/search
• http://www.psychnet-uk.com/dsm_iv/pyromania.htm
• http://www.brainphysics.com/kleptomania.php
• http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/what-causesintermittent-explosive-disorder/
• http://www.forensicpsychiatry.ca/impulse/overview.htm