Unpacking Impulsivity: Understanding Behavioral Addictions & Impulse Control Disorders

The Infinite Self

Are you curious about why some behaviours become uncontrollable? Why do people struggle with urges to gamble, shop, use the internet, or pick their skin despite negative consequences? Tune in to explore the complex world of impulsivity and Impulse Control Disorders (ICDs).

Drawing on extensive research, this episode delves into ICDs like Pathological Gambling, Problematic Internet Use, Compulsive Buying, Compulsive Sexual Behavior, Pathological Skin Picking, Pyromania, and Intermittent Explosive Disorder. We define impulsivity not just as rash action, but as a predisposition towards rapid, unplanned reactions without considering negative outcomes – a deficit in critical reflection.

You’ll gain valuable insights into the characteristics of these conditions, including their typical age of onset (often starting in adolescence), their chronic nature, and the significant distress and impairment they cause in daily life, affecting social, occupational, and financial functioning. Learn about conditions where urges feel irresistible and behaviour becomes distressing and problematic.

We discuss the connection between impulsivity, ICDs, and other mental health conditions like substance use disorders and certain personality disorders. Discover how these seemingly diverse issues may share underlying mechanisms.

The conversation touches on the search for understanding, including exploring potential neurobiological factors like the roles of dopamine and serotonin, and how specific brain regions are implicated. We also look at how personality traits like sensation seeking might play a part.

Understanding these behavioural addictions and disorders is crucial, not only for clinicians but for anyone interested in human psychology and well-being. They represent the extreme end of a spectrum of impulsive behaviour, intensified by modern opportunities. This episode provides a comprehensive overview of their phenomenology and prevalence, highlighting why they are often underrecognized despite their impact.

Join us to deepen your understanding of the intricate relationship between impulse control, personality, and behaviour, and why defining and studying these disorders accurately is vital for developing effective support and treatment strategies.