Psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals treat impulse control disorders. These disorders consist of a cluster of diagnoses that includes fire-setting, kleptomania, intermittent explosive disorder, hair-pulling and pathological gambling. The criteria for an impulse control disorder include having an irresistible impulse to engage in a damaging behavior, regardless of consequences. The sufferer temporarily feels satisfied or relaxed after committing the act, only to have the urge return. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing explains that the goals of treatment include reducing impulse symptoms, enhancing coping skills and developing support systems that support healthy coping skills.
Medication
Intermittent explosive disorder, hair-pulling, kleptomania and pathological gambling are often treated by various prescription medications. Commonly used drugs include antidepressants, anti-psychotics, anti-anxiety medicines, anti-convulsants and opioid antagonists. Most of these medications work by reducing the urge to commit the harmful act or reducing the sense of pleasure from performing it.
Behavioral Therapy
Pathological gambling, hair-pulling and fire-setting are sometimes amenable to behavioral therapy. The therapist may use aversive conditioning to help control these behaviors by setting negative consequences for performance of the undesirable acts. Role-modeling is also utilized to help the sufferer learn and practice healthy responses to urges.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is individual therapy designed to help the sufferer learn the underlying reasons for his maladaptive responses to stress. The therapist then encourages him to identify unresolved personal issues that are worsening his symptoms. Those with kleptomania or pathological gambling disorder may be treated with psychotherapy, according to Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing.
Group Therapy
Groups of people with similar disorders, led by mental health professionals or impulse control disorder sufferers, help some people. This is especially true for gamblers who attend Gamblers Anonymous, according to Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Those with intermittent explosive disorder can also benefit from group therapy. Sufferers are encouraged to attend group sessions by the therapist who manages their care. Group therapy is often used along with other treatments to manage symptoms and teach coping skills.
Complementary Therapy
TherapyTimes says some impulse control disorder sufferers are helped by complementary therapy techniques, which can be utilized by traditional mental health practitioners. Hypnosis and reconditioning--which uses the power of the sufferer's mind to alter a learned response--are listed by the website as two examples of potentially helpful complementary therapy.
References
- "Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Concepts of Care in Evidence-Based Practice"; Mary C. Townsend, MN, APRN; 2006
- ForensicPsychiatry.ca: Impulse Control Disorders
- University of Minnesota Impulse Control Disorders Clinic: Principles of Treatment
- Valley Forge Publishing Group: TherapyTimes: Out of Control
