Get Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Intermittent explosive disorder involves repeated, sudden episodes of impulsive, aggressive, violent behavior or angry verbal outbursts in which you react grossly out of proportion to the situation.

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is a mental health condition marked by frequent impulsive anger outbursts or aggression. The episodes are out of proportion to the situation that triggered them and cause significant distress.

Causes and Risk Factors for Intermittent Explosive Disorder Being male. Exposure to violence at an early age. Exposure to explosive behaviors at home (e.g. angry outbursts from parents or siblings) Having experienced physical trauma. Having experienced emotional trauma. History of substance abuse. Certain medical conditions.

Intermittent explosive disorder is one of several impulse control disorders. Approximately 80% of people with IED have another mental health condition, with anxiety disorders, externalizing disorder, intellectual disabilities, autism and bipolar disorder being the most common.

Bipolar disorder has been linked to increased agitation and aggressive behavior in some individuals, but for these individuals, aggressiveness is limited to manic and/or depressive episodes, whereas individuals with IED experience aggressive behavior even during periods with a neutral or positive mood.

Psychotherapy. Individual or group therapy sessions that focus on building skills can be helpful. A commonly used type of therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps people with intermittent explosive disorder: Identify which situations or behaviors may trigger an aggressive response.

Emerging evidence indicates that IED is best described as part of an externalizing dimension of disorders such as conduct and substance use disorders, but is also associated with internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety [6].

Is IED a Form of Bipolar? IED is frequently misdiagnosed, leading to inadequate treatment, so it's helpful to understand what IED is not. First, it is not bipolar disorder: Some research suggests that IED and bipolar disorder can co-occur at high rates, but they are not the same thing.