Many of us make decisions based on gut feeling, instinct, or how we are feeling. Without some of these impulsive decisions, life would be very dull. However, if you make all your decisions impulsively, including important ones like where to invest your money, leaving a job, or whom to marry, you may experience some serious consequences.

Acting on instinct is normal and can be the right response to certain situations. It is not inherently a bad thing. In fact, an impulsive urge can sometimes keep you out of danger or lead to breakthroughs. In some cases, however, acting with little to no forethought can affect your long-term goals and cause you grief. When impulsivity causes distress or is the result of anxiety, you may want to do something about it.

Making Snap Decisions

People with chronic impulsivity often have trouble controlling their emotions and behaviors. Things are done without considering the consequences, and their behaviors can appear to be irrational. Impulse control disorders involve difficulty regulating emotions and behavior. These types of disorders can violate the rights of others and may bring the affected individual into significant conflict with society norms or authorities.

Many adults may occasionally think or act impulsively and find the consequences thrilling, entertaining, exhausting, frightening, or threatening. Avram Holmes, a psychology and psychiatry professor at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, told Live Science that humans have the tendency to engage in sensation-seeking and impulsive behaviors as an inherited trait from the early ancestors’ function for survival and reproductive fitness.

On the other hand, if you have been diagnosed with an impulse control disorder, the people around you may be concerned about their safety, emotionally and physically. They may express that they feel it’s difficult to talk with you or to reason. Impulsivity often becomes dysfunctional and affects the way you live your life.

Understanding the Causes and Symptoms

The causes and symptoms of impulse control disorders vary depending on the disorder and individual. It is often associated with other diseases and disorders that affect more than 1 million American people, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which can cause people to lose reason and act based on instinct.

At other times, it is a result of improper modeling of appropriate behaviors or emotional guidance during childhood. Those with psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues are most likely to have parents with a similar diagnosis or other disorders. Sometimes, a traumatic experience, such as sudden death or physical abuse, may also bring on chronic impulsivity.

Common symptoms of impulse control disorders can include frequent boredom, lack of tolerance, risky and disruptive behavior, ignoring consequences, aggression, possible use of drugs or alcohol, and difficulty in maintaining relationships. They can also be accompanied by psychosocial symptoms such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, emotional detachment, and social isolation. Like most psychological, emotional, and behavioral conditions, impulse control disorders are treatable with therapy and possibly even medication management. Talk with your healthcare provider if you are interested in exploring medication options.

Reach Out for Help

Everyone tends to act impulsively from time to time, especially in the midst of excitement or while doing something they are passionate about. For example, impulsivity pushes creatives to follow their vision, and propels entrepreneurs to take a risk to achieve a goal. At extreme levels, however, it can lead to poor outcomes, like stealing or gambling.

Through proper treatment, these risky behaviors can be addressed. Therapy and medication are often the primary forms of treatment. Counseling can help you get to underlying cause and find ways to manage impulses. A professional specializing in chronic impulsivity can help you, or your loved one, learn healthier ways to respond to triggers. With the right skills, you can make better choices and find relief.

Turn to Carolina Counseling Services – Fayetteville, NC, before your impulses lead to more serious consequences. Impulse control disorders can be difficult to treat, and it is important to find a therapist you can trust and feel comfortable working with. Call today to schedule your first appointment.

Related Articles:

• Freeing Yourself from the Havoc of Chronic Impulsivity
• The Impacts of Chronic Impulsivity