Examples of Impulse Control Disorder

KLEPTOMANIA is an impulsive urge to steal just for the sake of gratification.  In the United States, there has been an estimated 6 per 1000 individuals.  5% of all shoplifting in the U.S. is thought to be from the disorder.  If this is true, 100,000 arrests are made in this country annually due to kleptomania behavior.  COMPULSIVE SHOPPING OR BUYING is a frequent irresistible urge to shop even if the purchases are not needed or cannot be afforded.  It is estimated that 2% of the general adult population suffer from this disorder.  80-90% of the cases are female.  It is believed to start in the late teens or early twenties and the disorder is believed to be chronic.  Compulsive buying is not under the category of Impulsive Control Disorder in the DSMV-TR.  Some researchers suggest is has features that represent the disorder which includes difficult to resist urges, preceding tension and pleasure after the action.  INTERNET ADDICTION has been only recently been taken into consideration.  It has been added as a form of Impulsive Control Disorder.  It is characterized by excessive and damaging usage of the internet with increased amount of time spent chatting, web-surfing, shopping, gambling or exploring pornographic web-sites.  It has been reported that internet use crosses all age, social economy and educational boundaries.  It was initially thought to occur in males.  But now increasing rates have been observed in females.  No study has been conducted yet to understand its prevalence.