 impulse control disorder
Impulse control disorder is a set of psychiatric disorders including
intermittent explosive disorder (hot-headedness), kleptomania (stealing),
pathological gambling, pyromania (fire-starting), and three body-focused
repetitive or compulsive behaviors of trichotillomania (a compulsion to pull
one's hair out), onychophagia (compulsive nail biting) and dermatillomania
(compulsive skin picking). The onset of these disorders usually occurs between
the ages of 7 and 15. Impulsivity, the key feature of these disorders, can be
thought of as seeking a small, short term gain at the expense of a large, long
term loss. Those with the disorder repeatedly demonstrate failure to resist
their behavioral impetuosity.
Impulse control disorders are considered to be part of the obsessive-compulsive
disorder spectrum. The essence of emotional self-regulation is the ability to
control one's impulses in the service of a goal.
There is disagreement as to the exact nature of behavioral addiction or dependency.
However, the bio-psycho-social model is generally accepted in scientific fields as the
most comprehensive model for addiction. Historically, addiction has been defined with
regard solely to psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco and other
drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the
chemical milieu of the brain. However, "studies on phenomenology, family history,
and response to treatment suggest that intermittent explosive disorder, kleptomania,
problem gambling, pyromania, and trichotillomania may be related to mood disorders,
alcohol and psychoactive substance abuse, and anxiety disorders (especially
obsessive-compulsive disorder)."
In the case of pathological gambling, for example, the American Psychological
Association classifies the condition as an impulse control disorder and not an
addiction.
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