Intermittent Explosive Disorder

Intermittent explosive disorder, also known as episodic dyscontrol syndrome, is a mental disorder characterized by explosive outbursts of anger or violence, often to the point of rage, that are disproportionate to the situation. The aggression is impulsive rather than premeditated, defined by a disproportionate reaction to any real or perceived provocation, and about a third of patients report physical symptoms such as sweating and palpitations either before or during an episode, which is typically brief, lasting less than an hour. Prevalence estimates range from 3 percent to a lifetime prevalence of 4 to 6 percent, diagnosis requires a minimum age of around 5 to 6 years, and the DSM-5 classifies it under disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, while ICD-11 places it among impulse-control disorders.