Explosive Disorder-Aggressive Impulses

Explosive disorder is characterized by failure to resist aggressive impulses, resulting in serious assaults or property destruction. Examples of this behavior include threatening to or actually hurting another person and purposefully breaking or damaging an object of value. It is an impulse control disorder and it has been suggested as the underlying cause of road rage

The individual may describe the episodes of explosiveness as "spells" or "attacks" in which the explosive behavior is preceded by a sense of tension or arousal and followed immediately by a sense of relief. Often genuine regret is expressed after the outburst. Later the individual may also feel upset, remorseful or embarrassed about the behavior.

Individuals with Explosive Disorder sometimes describe intense impulses to be aggressive prior to their aggressive acts. Explosive episodes may be associated with affective symptoms such as irritability or rage, increased energy, and racing thoughts during the aggressive impulses and acts, and rapid onset of depressed mood and fatigue after the acts.

The diagnostic characteristics of Intermittent explosive disorder (IED include:
1) On several occasions the patient has lost control of aggressive impulses, leading to serious assault or property destruction.

2)The aggression is markedly out of proportion to the seriousness of any social or psychological stressors.

3) No other mental disorder or personality disorder better explains the symptoms.
4) These symptoms are not directly caused by a general medical condition or substance use, including medications and drugs of abuse.