How do you intervene in Impulse Control Disorders?

This set of psychological alterations lead us to carry out actions that we do not control.

Impulses are defined by the need or urgency to perform a certain behavior, using emotion and leaving reason aside..

When the person experiences this sensation, our ability for self-control is set in motion to decide what to do and to what extent we allow ourselves to be carried away by this impulse.

However, there is a part of the population that finds it very difficult to manage impulses and performs the action, regardless of the possible consequences of the action. In these cases, the well-known Impulse Control Disorder is present.. Let's see how it is treated in therapy.

What is an Impulse Control Disorder?

The Impulse Control Disorder is characterized by the impossibility or great difficulty in resisting an action, even when the behavior is harmful to the person or his environment.even when the behavior is harmful to the person or their environment.

According to Ana Claudia Alda, psychologist of the cabinet Psychologists Malaga PsicoAbreu, during the impulse, the person experiences a state of tension and activation that is relieved with the realization of the behavior. Thus, after finishing it, he/she obtains a sensation of liberation and pleasure.

Sometimes, people suffering from this disorder have feelings of guilt and remorse for the action committed.

It is a psychological problem that appears in adolescence and is maintained over time if there is no is maintained over time if there is not a correct psychological intervention.. In the same way, this disorder ends up affecting all areas of the individual, since their emotional management is affected in all areas of their life (work, academic, family, social or couple).

Classification of Impulse Control Disorders

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) establishes the category of "Disruptive, impulse control and conduct disorders" to include those disorders related to the regulation of behavior and emotion. Thus, the following disorders are differentiated:

1. oppositional defiant disorder.

It consists of a pattern of irritability, anger, arguments, defiance or revenge in interpersonal relationships. This disorder appears in childhood and early adolescence.

Suffering from this disorder may involve a risk of suffering emotional or behavioral disorders in the future.. In these cases, there is evidence of a lack of management of the emotion of anger and of control of behaviors such as arguments.

2. Behavioral disorder

The individual's pattern of response is a range of behaviors that violate the basic rights of others and age-appropriate social norms..

Self-control over these behaviors is practically nil, despite the consequences of engaging in them.

3. Intermittent explosive disorder

It is characterized by a pattern of aggressive response that is disproportionate to the triggering situation. to the triggering situation.

These impulsive outbursts have a very rapid onset and last less than 30 minutes. In addition to the main outburst, verbal or physical aggression of lesser intensity is frequently encountered.

4. Pyromania

The person suffering from this disorder has deliberately set or attempted to deliberately set fires on several occasions..

Patients with this disorder usually experience a feeling of tension just before starting the fire, and it disappears after starting the fire.

6. Kleptomania

It is characterized by the inability to resist the impulse to steal objects.even though they are not necessary for him/her. As in pyromania, a feeling of tension is experienced before the theft behavior, followed by a feeling of relief and pleasure.

Other problems related to this disorder

In addition to these disorders mentioned above, there are other problems that have in common the lack of impulse control. Some of them are those that we will see in these lines.

1. Compulsive shopping

This type of shopping is characterized by the fact that the person has the need to buy persistently the need to buy in a persistent wayand is not able to resist it.

In addition, when buying, he/she experiences a short-term feeling of pleasure. However, shortly after, emotions such as disappointment and guilt appear, along with promises not to do it again.

2. Pathological gambling or pathological gambling

The person suffering from pathological gambling experiences the need to gamble in an uncontrollable way. This type of gambling despite the negative consequences it entails in different areas (family, work, economic, social). in different areas (family, work, economic, social).

3. Onychophagia

It is characterized by the irrepressible impulse of nail biting, so that this behavior ends up becoming a daily habit. It usually appears in situations of stress, anxiety and anguish..

4. Trichotillomania

This is an impulse to pull out one's hairleading to a great loss of hair. Although the person has tried to avoid doing so on multiple occasions, he/she is unable to resist the impulse.

Psychological intervention in these patients

The psychologist Ana Claudia Alda confirms that the most appropriate treatment for this type of disorder is psychotherapy.. During the therapy in her work at the Gabinete Psicologos Malaga PsicoAbreu different aspects are addressed that will help the person to control his impulses:

• Identify pre-impulse stress signals.
• To learn strategies of emotional regulationl alternative to performing the behavior.
• Working with the thoughts that hinder impulse control.

All this must be accompanied by the supervision of the psychotherapist, who in addition to giving instructions participates in the "training" of the patients to overcome the Impulse Control Disorder.