PP on ICD

1. IMPULSE CONTROL
DISORDER
Bailey Kaye
Psychology 40S
Ms. Dubois
June 12, 2015

2. Define:
An umbrella term for any disorder which results in the
inability to resist actions that may cause harm to
themselves or others (typically a personality disorder).
ICDs can be any disorder that causes repetitive
engagement in behaviour, despite negative
consequences; little control over said behaviour; an urge
to participate in problematic behaviour; and/or an
unpleasant quality during these behaviours. This includes
common disorders such as trichotillomania, kleptomania,
or pyromania.

3. Incidence:
Tends to depend on the type of ICD
Trichotillomania
0.6-3% of women, 0.6-1.5% of men
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
By definition, quite rare, but is suggested to be more prevalent than
originally believed
17/800 cases studied were actually diagnosed
Kleptomania
<5% of shoplifters, but a greater number of the general population

4. Diagnosis:
Doctors look for the following signs to diagnose
somebody with an ICD
Repeated engagement in a behavior despite adverse
consequences
Little (and decreasing) control over the problematic behavior
An urge or craving before engaging in the problematic behaviour
A unpleasant quality experienced during the problematic behavior

5. Causes:
Causes are unknown by scientists at the present time.
They suspect that the limbic system and frontal lobe both
play a strong role in the development of such disorders.
Biological and social risk factors are also likely causes.
Genetic factors, as well -to a lesser extent.

6. Signs/Symptoms:
Five stages to look for:
Experiencing an impulse to pull, set fires, steal
Look stressed/tense
Show pleasure from the act
Relief from having done the act (“scratched the itch”)
Guilt at having performed the act

7. Treatment:
Fairly understudied for the amount of people they affect,
but does include:
Anti-depressants
Mood stabilizers
Atypical neuroleptics
Behavioural correction
No cure is known at this time.

8. Prevention:
Due to the different ICDs, there’s no one preventative
strategy for all of them
A comprehensive approach to prevention would be best,
and most likely include adopting a general mental health
prevention ideal

9. Living with Kleptomania: an ICD
Kleptomania is a common ICD, used to refer to
compulsive shoplifters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3moKW050y8

10. Work Cited:
http://psychcentral.com/lib/what-are-impulse-control-
disorders/
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/impulse-control-
disorders/impulse-control-disorders-clinical-
characteristics-and-pharmacological-management
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3089999/
https://www.newharbinger.com/psychsolve/impulse-
control-disorders
http://www.forensicpsychiatry.ca/impulse/overview.htm#pr
evalence
http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/
9780195389715.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780195389715-e-
037