If you’ve ever felt like there was a monster inside of you and it was trying to take over your life, we’re here to tell you that it’s not your fault. You’re not crazy. You’re not alone. And there are things you can do to help yourself or someone else struggling with the same thing.

Humans have an innate desire to seek out and engage in pleasurable activities. But sometimes, the things we do to experience pleasure can get us in trouble. That’s because some behaviors are pleasurable, dangerous, and even illegal.

The Monster Inside

It’s called “disruptive impulse-control disorder,” or DICD. People who suffer from DICD have difficulty controlling their emotions or impulses—they may act in dangerous or harmful ways to themselves or others, even when they know that those actions will cause harm or pain. They may also have trouble stopping themselves from doing things they know they shouldn’t do—like breaking stuff on purpose or stealing something so they can get arrested and go away for a while (or even just stealing something because they don’t feel like waiting in line).

“Disruptive” means disruptive to others’ lives and behaviors, too: DICDs may break the rules at home, school, work, or other places where rules matter; they may start arguments with other people; they may lie about things or events that happen even recently.

Impulsivity in DICD

Impulsivity is one of the most common symptoms of disruptive impulse control disorder (DICD). These disruptive behavior disorders can make it hard for people to control their actions, even when they know the consequences. DICDs include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), intermittent explosive disorder (IED), and conduct disorder (CD). People with these mental disorders might have trouble managing their emotions or controlling their behavior at home, school, and other settings. They may also struggle with self-control around food or other substances.

Impulse control disorders are characterized by impulsivity that gets in the way of daily life and causes harm to yourself or others. They include:

· Oppositional Defiant Disorder (the uncontrollable urge to refuse instructions)

· Kleptomania (the uncontrollable urge to steal)

· Pyromania (the urge to set things on fire)

· Intermittent explosive disorder (the urge to commit acts of aggression without any apparent motive)

Sings of Impulsive Control Disorder

It can be hard to tell because the symptoms of these disorders can be pretty broad. They might even seem like normal kid behavior. But it’s important to watch these symptoms because they can lead to problems later in life.

Here are some signs that your child might have an impulse control disorder:

· They seem restless or hyperactive

· They have trouble waiting their turn or finishing a task before starting something else.

· They tend to act without thinking first (like running into traffic)

· They act impulsively (like grabbing things without asking permission)

If your child shows any of these signs, talk to your doctor. You may want them to run a few tests and get advice on how to help your child manage their behavior.

Types of DICDs

There are three main types of DICDs:

· The first is intermittent explosive disorder (IED). People with IEDs have violent outbursts that usually last less than five minutes. They are often angry at the time of their outburst and may regret what they did later.

· The second type is pyromania, which causes people to set fires for no reason other than amusement or pleasure. Again, this disorder is more common among adolescents than adults.

· The third type is kleptomania, which causes people to steal things for no reason other than amusement or pleasure.

Helping People with Disruptive Impulse Control & Conduct Disorders

People with disruptive impulse control and conduct disorders have difficulty controlling their impulses, which can lead to trouble at school and home. They also tend to have a problem following rules and keeping friends.

If you’re trying to help a loved one with this disorder, here are some things you can do:

· Get help from a professional—a psychologist or psychiatrist can help your loved one learn how to manage their impulses better.

· Work on developing good communication skills with them—discussing issues calmly instead of yelling is important, as it will help keep everyone calmer and less likely to get into trouble.

· Encourage them to get involved in activities that interest them—sports or music might help give them an outlet for their energy and frustration without hurting anyone else.

· Try not to judge the person with ICD/CD—it isn’t their fault that they were born with this condition! Instead of judging them and making them feel bad about themselves, try encouraging them to seek treatment.

Do not let the person with ICD/CD take responsibility for your feelings or actions. If they try to blame themselves for something that went wrong between the two of you (or between others), remind them that it wasn’t their fault and that no one asked them to take responsibility for anything except themselves

For more information about Mental Health Conditions. Visit our Mental Health Library page. To understand and cope with your psychological symptoms, get help from our Top 10 Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and Therapists who are known for providing the best mental health treatment and psychiatry services. To book an appointment please call us at (800) 457-4573 or submit an appointment request.