Impulse Control & Addiction Disorders
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?
How Do You Know if You Are Mentally Unwell?
Impulse control and addiction disorders are mental illnesses where someone is unable to control their cravings or impulses. When a person has this disorder, the drive to do or consume something is so strong that they will do it even if it hurts them or those around them. Impulse control and addiction disorders are very serious problems that require immediate attention and treatment.
There are many different types of impulse control and addiction disorders. Some of the most common include alcohol addiction, drug addiction, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, impulsive stealing, and more. While there are many different types of these mental disorders, they are often treated using the same tactics and methods.
In most cases, cognitive behavioural therapy is the first treatment option for people with impulse control or addiction disorder. Cognitive behavioural therapy helps someone understand why they are controlled by their impulse or addiction. It also helps them recognize things that trigger their addiction and how to control their impulses or cravings. With cognitive behavioural therapy, you will learn coping mechanisms and how to deal with your emotions so that you do not give in to your impulse or addiction.
If your impulse or addiction disorder is causing you to have self-destructive or self-harming thoughts, you may require dialectical behavioural therapy. This is a more intense version of cognitive behavioural therapy that revolves around talking with a professional psychologist or counsellor about your feelings and emotions. It is meant specifically for people with personality disorders but can be effective for all mental health problems.
In addition to cognitive and dialectical behavioural therapy, medications are also effective at treating impulse control and addiction disorders. Many mental disorders stem from having overactive neurotransmitters or chemical imbalances in the brain. Medications can help solve these problems, resulting in normal brain function.
SSRIs, such as citalopram and fluoxetine, are a class of antidepressants commonly used to treat impulse control and addiction disorders. SSRIs alter chemical reactions in your prefrontal cortex, which helps control impulsive or aggressive behaviour, two common side effects of impulse and addiction disorders.
The key to controlling impulse control and addiction disorders is to take away the feeling of reward and euphoria that occurs when you give in to your addiction. To do this, you may need to take a glutamatergic agent. Glutamatergic agents such as N-acetylcysteine, memantine or lamotrigine help quell glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy and excited when you give in to an impulse. If you do not have this feeling of excitement, you are less likely to continue giving in to impulses and addictions.
Mood stabilizers can help with impulse control and addiction disorders that cause feelings of depression or aggression. Mood stabilizers, such as lithium and phenytoin, balance out the chemicals in your brain and help you think rationally rather than emotionally.
If you have an addiction disorder related to opioids and other hard drugs, you may need prescription opioids to help you overcome your disorder. Naltrexone is an antagonistic opioid that helps wean you off of harder opioids, eases the pain of withdrawal, and takes away the feelings of euphoria and joy that opioids provide.
While they were once considered problems that result from a lack of discipline, impulse control, and addiction disorders are serious issues that most people cannot overcome on their own. If you struggle with one of these mental health disorders, you should seek an immediate diagnosis and start a treatment plan to get you on the road to overcoming your impulse or addiction.