Existentialist philosophy asks tough questions. The philosophy as a psychotherapy continues in that lineage and helps individuals find meaning in existence. This video takes a closer look existence and finding meaning with regards to mental health.
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Mood disorders can range from different emotional states. Their primary ingredient is instability and outside the range the norm of usual emotional experience and ability to operate in the world. This video reviews the core mood disorders as described in the DSM-V-TR. Please also review AIHCP’s numerous Healthcare Certifications
Sleep is essential part of existence. It is when the body and brain repairs itself. It allows one to be resilient in life and return to the next day with new vigor, energy and determination. When sleep is disrupted, reduced, or prevented, critical functions for both brain and body are impaired. Lack of sleep is a major health issue and when disorders arise that prevent healthy sleep, individuals suffer the consequences. This blog will examine the nature of sleep, why it is needed and the various disorders listed within the DSM-V-TR related to it.
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Human beings spend 1/3 of their life sleeping (Barlow, et al., 2023). It is during phases of sleep that individuals recoup, recover and repair both mind and body. This includes memory consolidation and emotional processing, physical restoration and neural development ((McLeod & Guy-Evans, 2026). Sleep experts utilize a modern scale of sleep phases that that include different periods of human sleep. NREM1 through REM include the four most critical phases (Cleveland Clinic). These stages repeat themselves every 60 to 90 minutes so disruptions or disorders can be harmful long term.
This transitions to phase 2 is referred to as light sleep and is dominated by theta waves but has spikes of activity referred to as sleep spindles that help in memory recovery
(McLeod & Guy-Evans, 2026). This transitions to phase 2 is referred to as light sleep and is dominated by theta waves but has spikes of activity referred to as sleep spindles that help in memory recovery (McLeod & Guy-Evans, 2026). This stage refreshes the body and is involved with the highest percentage of total sleep (around 50%), but it is imperative that it gives way to phase 3. Phase 3 is referred to as a deep sleep. Within deep sleep, the person’s brain and body finds healing and restoration with various repairs throughout the body. This deep sleep is associated with delta waves, the lowest and calmest brain wave. Deep sleep occurs in the first hours of sleep. Finally REM sleep is the final stage but its frequency spikes with a mixture of low delta but with spikes of actual beta or the awake waves. This is tied to the essential aspect of the dreaming phase found in rem. The other phases constitute non-REM states, but the Rapid Eye Movement phase of REM correlates with the process of vivid dreaming. These phases spike throughout the night and should constitute 20% to 25% of one’s sleep ((McLeod & Guy-Evans, 2026).
Without a sleep regiment that is consistent and possesses the proper percentages of the various stages, then individuals will suffer short term and long term. Lack of sleep is associated with fatigue obviously, but also forgetfulness, agitation, lack of mood regulation, slow responses, yawning, and loss of motivation (Cleveland Clinic). Individuals can suffer from sleep deficits that gradually build up over time as individuals overwork, stay up later, wake earlier, or even face occurrences known as jet lag, where time zones can disrupt sleep cycles (Barlow, et al., 2023). Different individuals also possess different chronotypes where they are naturally more active or fresh in the morning versus the night or vice versa (Barlow, et al., 2023).
Whatever the case, when sleep is reduced via quality, or quantity, individuals suffer. It is no wonder then that a type of torture involves purposeful sleep deprivation to prisoners which is outlawed by all civilized nations. One case study and research involved keeping 350 volunteers awake for 112 hours. Seven volunteers engaged in behaviors that seemed psychotic (Barlow, et al., 2023). With this realities in mind, sleep disorders can present mild to serious issues for individuals who suffer from both quality and necessary quantity of sleep.
Sleep disorders are divided into dyssomnias and parasomnias. Dyssomnias deal with issues and difficulties regarding sleep quantity and quality, while parasomnias deal with abnormal or psychological events that occur during sleep (Barlow, et al., 2023). The DSM-V-TR also stipulates that many sleep disorders are comorbid with a variety of other issues, including anxiety and depression (2022).
Dyssomnias
Insomnia Disorder is one of the most cultural known sleep disorder. It is frequently used in everyday language when someone cannot fall asleep but the disorder itself is more than one night of lack of sleep but a consistent issue over time. The DSM-V-TR lists that the occurrence must happen at least 3 times a week over a period of at least 3 months. In addition to lack of quantity or quality of sleep, the individual has difficulty initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, and early awakening. These disturbances cause significant impairment in social, educational and occupational settings throughout the addressed time frame. These issues furthermore are not tied to substance abuse, other physiological issues, as well as co-existing and comorbid issues (DSM-V-TR, 2022). Specifiers include with mental disorder, condition and can be episodic, persistent or recurrent (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Hypersomnolence Disorder refers excessive sleepiness despite sleep with at least 7 hours. During the day it can include recurrent periods of sleep or lapses or one prolonged main period of sleep during the day lasting at least 9 hours but not offering any refreshed feeling. This must last for at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 3 months (DSM-V-TR, 2022). In addition to causing various impairments and having no other explanations, specifiers can include with medical or mental disorder and acute, subacute and persistent degrees. It can be considered mild, moderate and severe as well (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Narcolepsy is also a commonly known disorder displayed on television shows that portrays a person who suddenly and completely falls asleep. The DSM-V-TR states the person falls asleep but immediately enters into a REM state (2022). This can last a few seconds or even minutes. These occurrences again need to happen at least 3 times a week over a 3 month period. These events can occur with cataplexy or weakened or paralyzed muscles or without it. They can also be tied to a hypocretin deficiency which results in lack of alertness and energy balance. Specifiers indicate if Narcolepsy is tied to with or without either of these conditions. Finally, the condition can also be specified as mild, moderate or severe (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea and Central Sleep Apnea deal with abilities to breath while sleeping. The DSM-V-TR lists these disturbances to breathing as snoring, gasping or breathing pauses during sleep that results in daytime drowsiness (2022). Central Apnea is not a result of any obstruction but a more serious situation in correlation with respiratory system during sleep. The DSM-V-TR lists idiopathic, Cheyne-Strokes and Central Sleep Apnea with opioid use (2022). Many individuals who suffer from this result in needs a sleep apnea machine to help regulate breathing and to maintain proper oxygen saturation within the body while asleep.
Other sleep disorders within this family include Sleep-Related Hypoventilation as well as Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders. Again how one breathes during sleep or one’s internal clock of waking are internally affected. To learn more, please refer to the DSM-V-TR.
Parasomnias
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep Arousal Disorders are recurrent incomplete awakening from sleep during the first third of the the major sleep episode. Among the issues tied to this are sleep walking and sleep terrors. Sleep walking includes episodes of rising from bed and moving without knowledge, or simply sitting up. It includes a blank stare and unresponsiveness of the person despite communication from others. Awakening the individual is very difficult. Often again this symptom is displayed comically in many cartoons or television programs but the reality of it extremely serious (DSM-V-TR, 2022). Night terrors result in vivid and terror arousals from sleep. It is tied to all the fight or flight mechanisms that induce high heart rate, sweating and rapid breathing within the autonomic nervous system (DSM-V-TR. 2022). One has basic amnesia to the dream or event itself. These issues result in social impairment and daily fatigue. Specifiers include sleep walking with eating, or sexual behavior, or with sleep terror (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Nightmare Disorder is beyond a bad dream. Bad dreams do not awaken individuals, while nightmares awaken (Barlow, et al., 2023). Nightmare Disorder is also beyond the occasional nightmare but recurrent and well-remembered dream that threatens security, survival or physical integrity. These dysphoric dreams cause intense reaction upon awakening and are not due to any substances, medication, or comorbid issues. They can be specified as mild (1 per week), moderate (multiple per week) or severe (nightly)and also acute and lasting 1 month, subacute and lasting 1 month to 6 months and persistent with a duration of 6 months or more (DSM-V-TR, 2022). In some cases, sleep paralysis can manifest in which the body itself is paralyzed from movement. This phenomenon can be tied to nightmare disorder or be independent. It can result in awareness while being unable to move. This is tied sometimes to completely explainable issues for alien abduction or demonic attack although these natural explanations may not rule out special cases without certainty.
Obviously, Freud and Jung associate nightmares with psycho analysis and meanings. Dreams can also stem from traumas and unresolved issues. These nightmare disorders are a far more severe than a typical nightmare and are tied to multiple issues that need addressed in counseling.
Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder involves repeated episodes of arousal during sleep associated with talking or movements. This occurs during REM. Upon awakening the person is completely alert and not confused (DSM-V-TR, 2022). Another motor control issue during sleep is Restless Legs Syndrome.
Etiology and Treatment
Sleep issues that are not comorbid with the other related substances, or anxieties or depressions or traumas usually have biological or genetic etiologies. Sometimes they are tied together. Most sleep disorders are treated medically, but some also require counseling (Barlow, et al., 2023). Psycho analytical treatments look for unresolved issues that may be causing sleep disorders. Carl Jung identified various archetypes associated with dreams and sleep to help individuals understand their dreams and what the subconscious mind is relating. In addition, more holistic methods can attempt to cause the mind with herbs and calming teas, as well as hypnosis and meditation as ways to prepare the mind and body for sleep. Slowly preparing oneself for bed and allowing one’s mind and body to destress, and lower brain waves to more a relaxed state can play a role in better sleep and dreams, as well as keeping a regular sleep schedules. Various apps and health rings can give updated scores on sleep efficiency and give sleep scores. While these holistic methods are important to compliment and help, many times, core issues need professional counseling and medical assistance. Medical professionals who are sleep experts can give better diagnosis and aid in helping individuals with more severe and serious issues.
Since sleep is essential to mental and physical health and it is critical to have a healthy sleep pattern. Sleep restores the mind and body and without it basic functioning is impossible. Due to biological, genetic, or past or current issues in life, sleep as well as dreams can be affected. Sleep quality and quantity can be negatively affected by sleep disorders that are either dyssomnias or parasomnias in origin. These can lead to inabilities from a variety of angles in preventing sleep or maintaining it. Some sleep issues deal with the sleeping mechanisms of the body while others deal with the mental aspect of the body. Various medical as well as counseling aids can be employed to overcome these difficulties. In addition various holistic methods can be employed with the consent of one’s primary physician. The sleep cycle is critical to health so if one is suffering from any of these disorders, it is critical to seek the appropriate medical and mental health providers.
Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Certifications as well as its behavioral healthcare programs.
Spiritual Nature of Dreams and Dream Analysis. Access here
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder” DSM-5-TR (5th ed., text revision). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Barlow, D.H., Durand, V.M., & Hofmann, S.G. (2023). Psychopathology. An integrative approach to mental disorder (9th ed.). Cengage Learning
“Sleep: How Much You Need and Its 4 Stages” (2021). Cleveland Clinic: Health Essentials. Access here
McLeod, S. & Guy-Evans, O. (2026). “5 Stages of Sleep (REM and Non-REM Sleep Cycles)”. Simply Psychology. Access here
Behavioral Therapy is an empirical based therapy and school of thought that recognizes behavior and cognition as key factors in mental pathology. Learned behaviors and how one thinks play key roles in how we feel and how we react and think to things. This does not dismiss genetic and biological issues, but it does point to many behaviors and quirks that trace themselves back to one’s upbringing, culture and thinking processes. Behavioral therapy looks to change how we act and think by teaching one to react and think differently through a variety of behavioral and cognitive modification. CBT is an offshoot of it from it and was formulated by behavioral therapists.
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Understanding psychopathology is critical to understanding a large portion of human health. This video takes a closer look at psychopathology and the importance of acknowledging one’s own mental health minus any stigmas. Please also review AIHCP’s Behavioral Healthcare Certification Programs including Grief Counseling, Trauma Informed Care, Anger Management, Spiritual Counseling and many more!
Mental health is health. Psychotherapy is a proven way to help individuals with mental issues and disorders. This video looks at mental health and the numerous types of schools of psychotherapy and various therapies that help individuals everyday. Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Certification Programs
Rogerian and Person Centered Therapy focuses on the client and emphasizes unconditional positive regard and empathy. Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Certification Programs
The DSM-V-TR and many psychopathology texts group Somatic and Dissociative disorders together. In the DSM-V-TR somatic disorders are listed after dissociative disorders which are tied to stress and PTSD. They both share created realities that are not true but they also differ in direction. Somatic disorders attach to physical symptoms without no correlating reality or pathology from a physical sense but find their origin in the mind. Likewise, many are tied to anxiety, or fear of possessing the actual disease associated with the symptoms. Dissociate disorders are tied to breaks from reality that do not exist as well but more so in the mind and one’s surroundings. They are tied to trauma and stress. This leads to derealization and depersonalization, various amnesias and dissociative identity stemming from trauma. In this short blog, we will review the basis and criteria of diagnosis for different somatic disorders as well as dissociative disorders.
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Somatic disorders contain symptoms of a disease created by the mind with no real existence of the disease within the person. Somatic means coming from the mind and manifesting physiological manifestations of a particular physical disorder (Barlow, et, al., 2023). Similar to Somatic Symptom Disorder is Conversion Disorder. Freud believed that the energy associated with mental illness could manifest as physical disease in other parts of the body causing motor control issues that were only a product of the mind (Barlow, et al., 2023).
The biggest difference between Somatic Disorder and Conversion Disorder was the the type of physical manifestation and mental state. In Somatic Disorder there are a broad range of persistent physical disorders including pain and fatigue. These irks and pains cause discomfort throughout the day and lead to intense anxiety within the individual as the person attempts to understand the nature of their illness. Conversion differs in the manifestation and reaction. The manifestation effects motor control and cause paralysis, blindness, or other body movement. It usually follows an immediate stressor and can resolve itself quicker. Hence individuals do not deal with it longer over a chronological period (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
The DSM-V-TR lists these criteria Somatic Symptom Disorder for diagnosis .
A. One or more somatic symptoms that cause significant disruption in life
B. Excessive thoughts or behaviors tied to the somatic symptoms with at least one of the following:
1. disproportionate and persistent thoughts about the seriousness of the issue
2. high levels of anxiety about the symptom or overall health
3. excessive time and energy directed to these symptoms and concerns
C. These symptoms persist for 6 months.
Somatic Symptom Disorder can be specified with predominant pain, persistent symptoms, and as mild, moderate or severe.
(DSM-V-TR, 2022).
The DMS-V-TR lists this criteria for Conversion diagnosis
A. One or more of the symptoms have altered motor or sensory function
B. Clinical findings discover no correlation between the symptoms and recognized neurological disorder
C. There is no rational explanation for the disorder
D. The symptom causes clinically significant distress or functioning
It can be specified as acute, chronic, with psychological or without psychological stressor, with various symptom types such as weakness or paralysis, abnormal movement, swallowing symptoms, speech symptoms, seizures, sensory loss, special sensory loss or mixed symptoms.
(DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Another Somatic related disorder is Illness Anxiety Disorder which deviates from Somatic Symptom Disorder in regards to mild to no symptoms with the fear of disease existing in the mind. In the past it was referred to as Hypochondria (Barlow, et al., 2023). The DSM-V-TR lists the following diagnostic criteria for IAD.
A. Preoccupation with having a serious illness
B. Somatic Symptoms or not present or very mild. Other symptoms related to a different disorder are ignored.
C. High level of anxiety about health
D. The individual performs excessive health related behaviors for checkups
E. Illness preoccupation exceeds 6 months
F. The illness preoccupation has no other mental health disorder explanation
The DSM-V-TR specifies them as either care seeking or care avoidant
Ultimately within all of these disorders, individuals refuse to believe experts and fall more so upon their own anxiety ridden logics. They tend to seek their own information and insist they know more than medical professionals.
Tied closely to this are other disorders resulting in faking symptoms or purposely re-creating the symptoms for medical help or attention. Some do this for mental reasons, while others seek financial reward via malingering. Obviously those who seek medical attention and cause symptoms for no logical or financial reason suffer a deeper issue. Factitious Disorder results in this deception to gain attention or aid. Some may also look to keep attention on a person under one’s care by causing or lying about symptoms. In the past this was referred to as Munchausen Syndrome (Barlow, et al., 2023).
It is interesting to see the power of the mind to cause physiological symptoms. Yet if one simply realizes the power of worry to cause a stomach ache, then one can see on a large scale how somatic symptoms can manifest in individuals with greater anxiety and distorted beliefs about health.
While the mind can create physiological symptoms, it can also create separations from reality due to traumatic events or high levels of stress. Many of the dissociative disorders are closely tied to PTSD and trauma induced orders and directly follow the DSM-V-TR’s chapter on Trauma and Stress Related Disorders. The DSM-V-TR points out that many dissociative disorders are frequently in the aftermath of severe trauma. Their symptoms include “unbidden intrusions into awareness and behavior, with accompanying losses of continuity in subjective experiences (2022). This leads to depersonalization, derealization, amnesia and dissociative identity. They can all play roles in the more general umbrella of PTSD but also be a diagnosis within itself.
Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder
According to the DSM-V-TR, depersonalization is the experience of unreality, detachment or being outside or external from one’s own thoughts, or feelings or even sensations of the body. One senses a distorted senses of time and feels absent from self as if almost outside of one’s own body (2022). Similar and also shared frequently between the two is the subjective experience of derealization. Within derealization one experiences unreality and detachment from one’s surroundings as if reality is dreamlike or foggy or distorted (2022).
Dissociative Amnesia
Loss of memory due to trauma leaves the person with an inability to recall or remember. The loss of memory can be localized or selective only to the event, or in more severe cases generalized and effecting one’s identity (DSM-V-TR, 2022). In some cases, it can be specified with dissociative fugue where the individual travels or wanders and cannot relate where they came from (2022).
Dissociative Identity
One of the most wild and bizarre forms of dissociation is multiple personalities. The DSM-V-TR now labels it as Dissociative Identity in which the person creates different identities when faced with intense trauma. These identities are formed at a younger age and usually add new ones as the person needs to adjust to the unresolved trauma. The DSM-V-TR lists the following criteria for diagnosis
A. Disruption of identity by two or more distinct personality states. The disruption marks a distinct discontinuity in sense of self which displays changes in behavior, memory, perception, consciousness, cognition and sensory-motor functioning.
B. Recurrent gaps to recall events and personal information are inconsistent with normal forgetfulness
C. The symptoms cause significant distress to all elements of social functioning
D. The disturbance is not part of a cultural or religious practice
E. The disturbance is not associated with other substances or medical conditions
(DSM-V-TR, 2022).
Barlow states that most experience an average of 15 different personalities or alters. These alters merge from the host identity (2023). It is believed that under severe cases of trauma, younger children who may possess a genetic and biological vulnerability can develop DID. Diagnosing DID should be done with great care as not to lead an individual to bias or place falsememories regarding a person’s past. Ultimately, it is very difficult to fake DID although criminals in the past have attempted to use a DID defense (Barlow, et, al. 2023).
Some identities are classified as possessive identities which can be mistaken for demonic manifestation. If existing within the religious traditions, one must be careful of cultural and religious beliefs regarding this. In fact, the Catholic Church goes to great lengths and diagnosis within itself to determine a difference between a possessing identity with what it considers to be an external source in its manual of exorcism. Obviously before the era of modern science, many DID were considered possessions and did not meet the current diagnosis within the Catholic Church. Those who are not religious still doubt any form of possession within itself but that is a debate for another day.
Physiological symptoms can be very real. The brain can shut itself off for its own defense and create different realities. These are all things that modern psychology has discovered. Many of these issues stem from trauma, anxiety and stress. When a person has the biological vulnerability, the recipe for the manifestation for these disorders become a reality for the person. Therapy and medication can play large roles in facing past issues and traumas. With the exception of DID, many of these mental issues can resolve quickly with proper care. Obviously DID deals with a far deeper trauma and requires deeper psychotherapy to unify the person. That involves identifying triggers, reliving trauma, and carefully realigning the past without causing more damage (Barlow, et al., 2023).
Please also review AIHCP’s Behavioral Health Certifications. AIHCP offers Trauma Informed Care as well for professionals seeking additional training and credentials in this field.
Disruptive and Impulse Control Disorders. Access here
Personality Disorders. Access here
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder” DSM-5-TR (5th ed., text revision). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Barlow, D.H., Durand, V.M., & Hofmann, S.G. (2023). Psychopathology. An integrative approach to mental disorder (9th ed.). Cengage Learning
Goodman, B. 2024. “Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders”. WEBMED. Access here
“What is Somatic Symptom Disorder?” APA. Access here
“Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder)” (2024). Cleveland Clinic. Access here
“Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder)”. PsychologyToday. Access here
CBT is a behavioral grounded therapy that helps correct distorted thinking. Developed by Beck and Ellis it has proven to be a powerful tool in correcting bad thinking and transforming negative beliefs. Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Certifications
Emotional loss of control that translates into disruptions, conduct violations against social norms and laws, and the rights of others are the product of a variety of deeper seeding issues stemming in childhood. While many of these disruptive, impulse control and conduct disorders manifest in early childhood, if left unchecked, they can continue to develop into early adulthood and root into a person’s personality. In fact, conduct disorder itself, can be a precursor to anti-social disorder (DSM-V-TR, 2022). With this in mind, it is important to teach, guide and when necessary reprimand children in accordance with morality, authority and law. This is especially true for individuals who genetically have a predisposition to impulse control, emotional outbreaks and defiance.
Please also review AIHCP’s behavioral health certifications, including Anger Management Courses, as well as ADHD Consulting.
These types of disorders include issues with emotional control but especially when it infringes upon the rights of others.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
This disorder tends to manifest early in childhood but can continue to persist in adulthood and hamper a person’s future relationships as well as one’s interaction with authority figures. The DSM-V-TR points out that it is marked with a pattern of an overall angry and irritable mood that displays itself in an argumentative, defiant way, characterizing vindictiveness. This mood persists for at least 6 months (DSM-V-TR, 2022). It is important to evaluate this time frame because child development can sometimes mimic these behaviors short term and not necessarily constitute a long term disorder. During this 6 month period, the individual must exhibit four of the below symptoms with at least one person who is not a sibling.
1.losing temper
2. touch or easily annoyed
3. often angry or resentful
4. often argues with authority figure
5. defies or refuses to comply with requests from an authority figure
6. deliberately annoys others
7. blames other for his or her mistakes or behaviors
8. exhibited spitefulness or vindictive behavior twice within the last 6 months
These symptoms can be specified as mild, moderate or severe (DSM. V-TR, 2022).
Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Loss of control and temporary rage can sometimes be more than a mere temper, loss of patience, or anger issue but can also be an emotional disorder that requires deeper care and therapy. Intermittent Explosive Disorder emerges in childhood but can also persist into adulthood and cause serious relationship issues in all aspects of life and especially result in criminal charges. The DSM-V-TR cites that IED exhibits frequent and recurrent outbursts due to a failure to control aggressive impulses (2022). These outbursts can result in verbal aggression including temper tantrums, tirades, verbal arguments or even physical aggression towards property, animals or other people. The outbursts can be limited to only verbal but also to physical confrontations that cause damage and injury. The DSM-V-TR states that 3 serious infractions must occur within a 12 month period that result in damage or destruction, but frequent verbal aggression according to the first standard meets the first criteria.
In addition to verbal or physical outbursts, the magnitude of the aggressiveness must not be proportionate with the provocation or to any of the causing stressors. Individuals with IED react completely out of proportion to life events and daily stresses that others would not react to (DSM-V-TR, 2022). In addition, these outbursts are not premeditated or meant to achieve some objective but are purely reactive. In addition, these recurrent aggressions and outbursts cause considerable impairment to the person’s personal, professional, and interpersonal functioning. Finally, the person must be at least 6 years of age. This disorder manifests at a higher level in males and exist in both children and adults if left untreated (DSM-V-TR, 2022). Please also review AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Certification.
Conduct Disorder
Conduct Disorder is a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior which violates the rights of others, social norms and rules and laws of societal norms (DSM-V-TR, 2022). If 3 of the following 15 criteria is met over the past 12 months, with one having to be within 6 months, then an individual may be diagnosed with Conduct Disorder. The categories of disorder include aggression, destruction of property, deceitfulness and theft, and serious violation of rules.
The DSM-V-TR points out that these acts constitute great inter-social impairment and have occurred before 18. If over 18, the individual can qualify for diagnosis of Anti-Social Personality Disorder (2022). Specifiers include childhood onset and adolescent onset. In addition, specification can include with limited prosocial emotions, lack of remorse or guilt, callous or lack of empathy, unconcerned about performance, and shallow deficient affect (DSM-V-TR, 2022). The condition can finally also be classified as mild, moderate or severe.
Within Conduct Disorder as well as Anti-Social Disorder, two other types of disorders can manifest.
Pyromania
This disorder leads to the deliberate and purposeful choice to set fires on more than one occasion. The DSM-V-TR differentiates the setting of fire for reason or gain to that correlated with an affective arousal before the act that includes a fascination or interest about the attraction to fire. Pleasure, gratification or relief is associated with setting the fire (2022).
Kleptomania
Like fire setting, the act of stealing in Kleptomania is not tied to gain or need but a recurrent failure to resist the impulse to steal due to the sense of tension to commit theft. From this theft, comes gratification and relief that is not associated with any motive or need (DSM-V-TR, 2022).
ADHD is not listed with these types of disorders in the DSM-V-TR but is listed under neurodevelopmental disorders, but it does cross lines with many impulse disorders and is commonly comorbid with those who also possess them (DSM-V-TR, 2022. Obviously man individuals with ADHD are not criminals, or have rage, but symptoms of ADHD can contribute to the inner turmoil of those. This may have something to do with the lack of control of impulses and constant inability to maintain focus on one thing.
For purposes of analysis, the DSM-V-TR states that ADHD causes persistent lack of ability to focus attention and/or possess hyperactivity or impulsiveness in behavior. Some may exhibit only inattentiveness, while others may just display hyperactivity, while some may be burdened with both sets of symptoms. These symptoms emerge before age 12 and can persist into adulthood. Some elements of it are later controlled by a more developed brain in adulthood and manifest in other ways. Inattentive symptoms include at least 6 of the following over a 12 month span
Hyperactive symptoms must include 6 of the following over a 12 month period
Again, according to the DSM-V-TR, these symptoms can be predominantly inattentive or hyperactive or consist of both symptoms. It can also be classified as mild, moderate or severe (DSM-V-TR, 2022). It is no wonder then that many of these issues also correlate with various disruptive, impulse control and conduct disorders or later can possible develop into it. Please also review AIHCP’s ADHD Consulting Program.
Many of these disorders include both nature and nurture. ADHD exists at a level of 4 to 5 percent worldwide within children (Barlow, et al., 2023). Genetically, individuals can be prone to higher risk taking within the brain that inhibits fear or punishment (Barlow, et al,.2023). Biologically, levels of serotonin and epinephrine can be low with higher levels of testosterone (McRay, et al, 2016),. In addition, lack of family discipline, family dysfunction, divorce, and lack of family involvement can lead to deeper seeded issues that manifest in the child’s behavior and if not treated later manifest in adulthood (McRay, et al., 2016).
Treatment for conduct and impulse control issues include behavioral strategies that try to correct the operant conditioning previously experienced in life. Others include training for parents to better manage the child and teach the child structure. Also important, includes various forms of CBT that look to help empower the child with better social cognition skills and problem solving strategies. For anger issues, sometimes peer groups can help. Anger Management skills can help many find solutions to their temper. Finally, stimulant medication can be beneficial due to these disorders high comorbidity with ADHD (McRay, et al., 2016).
Ultimately, disorders are not justifications for poor behaviors but they are explanations why some children, and even adults, are more inclined to react and behave certain ways. Merely because someone feels an urge or a stronger intense feeling to do wrong or be cruel is never a justification but with therapy and sometimes medication, individuals can be taught to better control and maintain disruptive and impulse control behaviors.
A strong moral conviction of right and wrong is always a powerful deterrent in life. Understanding within one’s conscience that a feeling or urge does not justify a certain behavior is the first step to finding the help one needs. Obviously at an earlier age, parental guidance and discipline is essential to prevent these disorders from completely transforming an individuals personality into habitual chaos. Anger, lack of impulse control, defiance of authority and rage lead to many crimes and broken lives. It is hence important to maintain control in these situations and if one cannot to find the necessary guidance and help to learn how to control one’s inner disorders.
Please also review AIHCP’s Behavioral Health Certifications as well as AIHCP’s Anger Management Consulting Certification as well as its ADHD Consulting Program
Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Access here
ADHD. Access here
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder” DSM-5-TR (5th ed., text revision). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Barlow, D.H., Durand, V.M., & Hofmann, S.G. (2023). Psychopathology. An integrative approach to mental disorder (9th ed.). Cengage Learning
McRay, B.W., Yarhouse, M.A., Butman, R.E., & Kiple, C. (2016). Modern psychopathologies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. (2nd, ed.) IVP Academic
“What are Disruptive, Impulse Control and Conduct Disorders?” APA. Access here
IED. Mayo Clinic. Access here
ODD. (2026). Cleveland Clinic. Access here
“Oppositional Defiant Disorder”. Psychology Today. Access here
Bhandari, MD, (2024). “Mental Health and Conduct Disorder”. WebMD. Access here