home
contents
psychcorner       
family matters
wellness  
this & that
diet & nutrition 
heal the world
spirituality
library
links
about us

submit articles  
to CrescentLife

ask the expert

This disorder is characterized by frequent and often unpredictable episodes of extreme anger or physical outbursts. Between episodes, there is typically no evidence of violence or physical threat.

This disorder is apparently rare, with the majority of cases occurring when the individual is between late adolescence and late twenties. There is some evidence of that the neurotransmitter serotonin may play a role in this disorder.

Persons with Intermittent Explosive Disorder may have a significant history of unstable interpersonal relationships, illegal behavior, and substance abuse. A troublesome pattern might include isolated outbursts of extreme temper with long periods of reasonably normal functioning., which differs from the more diffuse and continuous impulsivity of a personality disorder.

Symptoms

• Several discrete episodes of failure to resist aggressive impulses that result in serious assaultive acts or destruction of property.
• The degree of aggressiveness expressed during the episodes is grossly out of proportion to any precipitating psychosocial stressors.
• The aggressive episodes are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Antisocial Personality Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, a Psychotic Disorder, a Manic Episode, Conduct Disorder, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., head trauma, Alzheimer's disease).

Treatment could involve medication or therapy, with the best prognosis utilizing a combination of the two.

back to psychdisorders