Impulse control disorders are often linked with addiction disorders. This is because impulsivity creates a sense that there will be no relief until an activity is pursued. The problem, when linked with addiction, is two-fold because addiction can only be satisfied with an ever-increasing need for a drug of some kind.
Impulse control can come in a variety of forms, and having any of these conditions can lead to a struggle with addiction disorders as well.
There are different symptoms associated with specific impulse control disorders.
Those suffering from impulse control disorders might become addicted to drugs of various kinds as well or could become obsessed with hoarding and other forms of addictive behaviour. Common early symptoms related to these conditions are aggressive behaviour, restlessness, interrupting others, and being easily distracted.
The cause of addictive disorders and impulsivity disorders are complex. In some cases, social and environmental pressures are the reason that the person engages in these behaviours, while in others, genetic vulnerability is the underlying cause for the condition. Psychiatric problems and depression are also commonly linked with these kinds of addictive and impulsive disorders.
The risk factors for impulsivity and addiction disorders are:
Personality Disorder Treatment
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment
Are Mental Health Problems Preventable?
Diagnosis of these kinds of conditions often requires that a medical doctor and a psychiatrist or therapist work together. There are many things that can be misleading in the diagnosis of these conditions because many people who suffer from addiction and impulsivity also suffer from other mental health conditions.
Diagnosis can involve an alcohol and drug counsellor as well, and blood and urine tests might be needed to determine which substances a patient is currently abusing. It can take over a year to get a definitive diagnosis for these kinds of conditions, and some patients’ overall mental health picture can still shift over time.
Prevention of impulsivity is usually linked with cognitive behavioural therapy, which is used to rewire the instinctual or immediate responses of the brain to stimuli. Preventing mental health disorders is not really possible, but you can avoid the use of street drugs and alcohol if you have a family history of these conditions.
Treatment for impulsivity and addiction can be done using a wide array of modalities. Many people begin their journey with counselling and the support of medications that are intended to control their specific mental health disorders more effectively. For those who are actively addicted to a substance, inpatient treatment might be required to help them to get clean.
For those addicted to activities like gambling, cognitive behavioural therapy might be used to attempt to break the cycle of reward-seeking behaviour that is commonly associated with these forms of addiction. Treatment can be complex and can take years to be successful, so patients with these diagnoses will need to be patient as they enter the treatment phase after diagnosis.