Intermittent explosive disorder
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by repeated episodes of aggression and violent behavior where you may react out of proportion of the situation and explode. Angry outbursts, road rage and domestic abuse are examples of episodes that involve throwing, breaking and hurting objects, which may be signs of IED.
Those suffering with IED may attack others, causing injuries to the body and also property damage. Usually the disorder begins to develop within the early teens. The early onset of IED is seen around age 13 in males and 19 in females. Intermittent explosive disorder can become so severe that it can put you at risk for depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders. This is caused by severe stress and life experiences.
In order to be diagnosed with intermittent explosive disorder, you must have had at least three episodes of impulsive aggressiveness. These episodes can occur at any point in the individual’s life. During an episode, you experience a loss of control, which can include breaking items that are valuable to you, threatening to and have followed through with hurting someone.
According to the National Institute of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health, records show that about 11.5- 16 million Americans have been affected by intermittent explosive disorder, in their lifetime.
People who have had trouble resisting their violence, are not very likely to seek treatment. Many suffering with intermittent explosive disorder seek some kind of psychiatric treatment, but fewer than 20% have actually been treated. Many wait years before they seek treatment and all it takes is a large amount of violence to realize it’s time to get help.
While many patients can seek therapy for help with intermittent explosive disorder, there has been limited research done on a drug treatment. Numerous medications are known to help reduce aggression and extreme outbursts, such as antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs. In a study that was conducted, those who took Prozac, or an SSRI fluoxetine, showed increased activity in the prefrontal cortex. It was recorded that of 100 patients taking the SSRI fluoxetine for 12 weeks, many showed a rather large reduction of impulsive aggression, compared to those who were given a placebo. Although the aggression was reduced, fewer than half the patients achieved a full or partial remission.
Another form of treatment that is being studied is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It is a therapy that combines cognitive restructuring, coping skills training and relaxation training. After a small group was tested with CBT for 12 weeks, researchers found that they were much less aggressive and depressed than the control group. It was also shown that those who participated in individual therapy sessions experienced a better outlook on life and were also much less depressed.
