As human beings, we all have our “limits”. It’s perfectly normal to feel angry at times. Maybe a situation has been building for a while and you don’t want to deal with it anymore, so you get angry.
Maybe you’re just in a mad mood one day and the smallest inconveniences set you off.
But, think about how you would actually react in these situations. You might lose your temper a bit, but chances are, you wouldn’t get violent or verbally abuse anyone because of your anger. You wouldn’t have repeated outbursts. Most importantly, you wouldn’t feel like you couldn’t control your emotions.
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) is just the opposite. If you do have a hard time controlling your outbursts, IED could be behind it.
What Does IED Look Like?
Intermittent Explosive Disorder truly lives up to its name. It’s characterized by repeated aggressive outbursts or “explosions”. Someone dealing with it might come across as hostile, impulsive, and angry.
Of course, that anger is unwanted. But, IED makes it difficult to control both your feelings and the way you react to them.
Again, everyone has bad days. Sometimes, things might annoy you more than others. For someone with IED, however, the smallest thing can create a major outburst. Typically, these outbursts are disproportionate to the situation at hand.
Internally, you might feel tremors, a tightness in your chest, racing thoughts, and even a feeling of rage before you go through with an explosive episode. When the outburst is over, you might feel better and more relaxed for a while. But, just because you have this disorder doesn’t mean you don’t have a conscience. It’s not uncommon for people with IED to struggle with regret or remorse after yelling at someone in anger.
What Causes Intermittent Explosive Disorder?
While anyone can experience IED, it typically develops in childhood or throughout the teenage years. While the exact cause isn’t known, research suggests it’s likely caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Some people might be at a greater risk of developing IED. Kids who have been abused, or teens/young adults with a history of mental health struggles are often more likely to deal with this disorder.
Unfortunately, later in life, IED can contribute to everything from strained relationships to difficulty at work or school.
It can even lead to other issues with physical and mental well-being, causing some people to turn toward unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs, alcohol, or self-harm. As you might expect, that kind of behavior creates a vicious cycle. The more you lean into unhealthy coping mechanisms, the worse your mental well-being is likely to become.
What Can You Do?
If any of these signs sound familiar, you don’t have to remain a victim to angry, intrusive thoughts forever.
The best thing you can do is talk to a mental health professional. Working with a therapist will help you dig deeper into where your IED might have started. From there, you can work on specific techniques to help you manage it.
On your own, learning relaxation techniques, restructuring your thinking, and even changing your environment are all great ways to manage your IED and feel a sense of calm.
No matter your treatment route, don’t give in to harmful substances like drugs or alcohol. They might be able to numb your thoughts for a while. But, on a long-term basis, they can actually alter the way you think and make your condition worse.
If you or someone you know is dealing with IED and you’re ready to take control (or encourage them to get help), don’t hesitate to reach out.
