Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Anger Unleashed

Anger is an emotion that all individuals experience but is an emotion that is not easily expressed in healthy ways. Anger can be a strong emotion that if a child is not taught to deal with it effectively, can 

turn into a problem that can have major consequences at school, work, home, and in social relationships. Anger in children is usually a result of an unmet need, attention seeking behavior, objects and goal blockages such as a toy being taken away, or not being heard when trying to express themselves. 

Children deal with anger in three different ways: by pushing down their anger, exploding, or by effectively managing their anger through self-awareness and self-regulation. Some children, especially ones who experienced unprocessed or untreated trauma, are emotionally dysregulated with poor impulse control and this can result in the development of “Intermittent Explosive Disorder”.  

Cleveland Clinic defines “Intermittent Explosive Disorder” as: “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. ” Children who have “Intermittent Explosive Disorder” experience explosive outbursts which occur suddenly with little warning and last less than 30 minutes in duration. Children with this disorder can feel like they have no control over their explosive behavior, and that is why it is categorized as an impulse control disorder. Signs that proceed are explosive outburst are tremors, heart palpitations, chest tightness, increased energy, poor communication skills, rage, irritability, an increased amount of tension, headaches, and racing thoughts. 

Examples of the explosive outburst include domestic disputes, road rage, temper tantrums, tirades, heated arguments, shouting, slapping, shoving, pushing, physical fights, property damage, or physical assault on people or animals. Children may feel a sense of release and tiredness after an episode followed by feelings of remorse or embarrassment. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the main treatment for “Intermittent Explosive Disorder”. It focuses on the thoughts and feelings of the child to help them to be aware of the signs that an episode is about to happen to help in decreasing the frequency and intensity of the episode. CBT focuses on behavioral modification to replace explosive behavior with a more healthy and effective coping skill. Antidepressants, mood regulators, and anti-anxiety medications, are also used to assist with reducing symptoms and frequency of outbursts.  

Learn to self-regulate…let us help! 

Northwest Behavioral Health Services 

2392 N. Edgewood Avenue 

Jacksonville, Florida 32254 

904-781-7797