We all get tempted by something every day. Sometimes it is the rocky road ice cream that’s been sitting in the freezer for a couple days. It cold be that brand new 4k television that everyone’s been talking about. Even the desire to play video games instead of go to work is a temptation that people have every day. The average person is able to recognize these temptations and resist them most of the time. For those that have Impulse Control Disorder, the story is much different.
Statistics on Impulse Control Disorder
1. 80% of those who are admitted to psychiatric services because of Intermittent 1. Explosive Disorder are men. IED accounts for 2% of the total Impulse Control Disorder cases.
2. In a study of almost 10,000 individuals 18 years or older, lifetime episodes of an Impulse Control Disorder were reported at 7.3%.
3. A 2005 study noted that a lifetime incidence of at least one clinically definable episode of an Impulse Control Disorder was 24.8%.
4. The diagnosed prevalence of kleptomania is estimated to be about 0.6%.
5. Up to 5% of those who are caught shoplifting would qualify for a medical diagnosis of kelptomania.
6. Pathological gambling occurs in up to 3% of the total population, while specific geographical areas where gambling is easy to access may see rates as high as 7% of the total population.
7. The typical pathological male gambler is white, aged 40-50 years, and comes from middle to upper socioeconomic bracket.
8. 75 million Americans suffer from at least one mental disorder every year – which means 1 in 3 Americans may have a medically diagnosable condition.
9. The percentage of women suffering from any impulse control disorder: 9.3%.
10. People with IED have an average of 43 lifetime attacks resulting in $1359 in property damage.
11. Only 28.8% of people suffering from IED have ever received treatment.
12. Approximately 82% of individuals with IED have co-occurring Axis I psychiatric disorders, most commonly a mood disorder.
13. Pyromania occurs much more often in males, especially those with poorer social skills and learning difficulties.
14. Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is more common in prepubescent boys than prepubescent girls.
15. Males with a diagnosis of conduct disorder frequently exhibit fighting, stealing, vandalism, and school discipline problems.
16. Women with an Impulse Control Disorder tend to exhibit more relationship aggression as a primary symptom.
17. Researchers have observed that individuals who abuse multiple substances show more impulsive behavior than who abuse single substances.
18. In a 2007 study, 40.2% of people met the criteria of having a current impulse control disorder.
19. Those with impulse-control disorders were more likely to report previous psychiatric hospitalization.
20. Traumatic Brain Injuries may result in some individuals developing impulsive behaviors or Impulse Control Disorders. When there is damage to the frontal cortex area, the odds of a disorder developing become even greater.
21. Children with conduct disorders appear to be particularly susceptible to substance abuse in adulthood
Understanding Impulse Control Disorder
Impulse Control Disorder goes beyond the need for comfort that can be received from food, video games, or sacking out like a couch potato. It’s an inherent need to satisfy an impulse, whatever that impulse may be, whenever it strikes. Imagine walking through a checkout line and having an impulse to purchase a pack of gum. You might decide to do it. For someone with this disorder, there’s no “might” in the description. They are going to purchase it.
Impulse Control Disorders aren’t always about temptation either. Some impulse disorders involve an inability to control one’s anger. Others have an impulse to set structures on fire. Hoarding, either physical items or animals, is also an impulse control issue. There are many other sub-categories to consider here as well: smoking, gambling, and even sex can all fall under this general category.
As the statistics on Impulse Control Disorder will show, there’s a surprising amount of people who struggle with at least one form of this disorder every day. By being aware of this information, if you know someone who struggles to control their impulses, you’ll be able to recognize this and work towards finding the help that they need.
Most Common Forms and Traits
The most common form of an impulse control disorder is IED. This means that out of the blue, someone can become so angry that they lose control physically and attach someone or something. This can happen at just the slightest of triggers, which is why this particular disorder is so dangerous. For those with at least one impulse control disorder, the prevalence of IED could be as high as 12%.
One of the most interesting statistics, however, is the fact that in numerous studies, women and girls are found to have numerically more impulse control disorders, but men are more likely as a population group to have them. This means that women, when they do get this disorder, tend to have more than one that can be diagnosed. It is also potentially why the data suggests that those who have an Impulse Control Disorder are susceptible to multiple disorders on the same axis.
In order for someone with an Impulse Control Disorder to change, there must be a desire to want some sort of change to occur. A switch in the mind must be triggered so that the desire to improve life circumstances can be had. In the initial stages of this disorder, many don’t even believe there is something wrong, so creating the foundations of change becomes difficult until a realization that life can be better takes place.
For the most part, a majority of people are able to effectively manage their disorder on their own. With simple coping tools and physical recognition of the signs and symptoms of an episode, they can proactively prevent the issue from becoming a negative impact on their lives. When regular counseling or group sessions are also included, almost all disorders that fall into this catch-all category can be adequately controlled.