Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Do you suffer from bouts of rage that lead to violence or the destruction of property? Although you feel your anger is mostly justified, do you realize that your reaction – your spell of rage – is out of proportion to the situation? Do you often feel remorseful or guilty after loosing control and succumbing to your rage?

If you answer yes to the questions above, you may be suffering from an impulse control disorder called intermittent explosive control disorder – a condition that makes it very difficult to resist impulses to react with violence or destruction when angry.

Those that suffer this condition are often perceived by those around them as being angry people, and they may have difficulty with relationships or at school or on the job. They are also, by the nature of the disease, at a greatly increased risk to get in trouble with the law or to get hurt in a violent confrontation.

Uncontrolled bouts of violent or destructive rage can greatly reduce a person’s quality of life – as well as affect the emotional well being of those around him or her. Because of this, it’s important that anyone who experiences this disorder seek an accurate diagnosis and begin treatments that can help a lot to control symptoms of rage.  

Do You Have Intermittent Explosive Disorder?

According to the America Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental disorders, the DSM-IVr, to meet a diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder you must:

1. Have reoccurring bouts of rage that have resulted in a loss of control and to violent behavior or the destruction of property

2. Experience bouts of rage, aggression and violence or destruction that are clearly out of proportion as a response to a given situation

3. Not have another mental health disorder that better explains the rage behaviors, such as anti social personality disorder, psychosis, a manic disorder etc.

4. Not be using substances, such as illicit drugs or medications or have hallucinations that would better account for the rage behaviors. Not have experienced a medical condition, like  ahead trauma or a disease, like Alzheimer’s that  would better explain the violent outburst*

People with this disorder generally feel tension preceding an attack and feel relief afterward. Feelings of relief often transform to feelings of remorse after the fact.

Still not sure? Ask yourself a few questions.

According to Daniel Ploskin MD, if you answer yes to 2 of the first 4 questions or to 5 questions in total, you may have a problem and should strongly consider getting an evaluation by a trained mental health professional

1. Do you find it hard to control your temper?
2. Do you sometimes have rage attacks?
3. Do you ever find yourself overreacting to a situation or a provocation?
4. During a rage episode, have you ever physically assaulted another person or destroyed property?
5. Do you have a drug or alcohol problem?
6. Do rage problems run in your family?
7. Have you ever had a head trauma or brain injury?
8. Do you have epilepsy of a history of epilepsy?
9. Do you or does someone in your family have a mood or anxiety disorder?

In the DSM-IVr, Intermittent explosive disorder is currently considered an impulse control disorder not otherwise specified.