Impulsivity – When You Just Can't Stop Yourself And It's Ruining ...

By: Art Comments

There are several different tests psychologists and mental health professionals can use to diagnose impulsivity. The tests vary slightly, but in general they look at things like looking at:

Your habits of attention.

Do you:

• move from one thing to the next, easily distracted?
• find yourself squirming in things like lectures or performances?

Your ways of taking action.

• Are you a ‘spur of the moment’ sort?

Your planning skills.

Do you:

• plan things like holidays and nights out in advance or ‘wing it’?
• map out your work day or are you ad hoc?
• save money or spend without thinking too much?

Your self-control.

Do you:

• say things you don’t mean?
• do things like rush across streets without being sure it’s safe?
• have difficulty controlling eating and drinking habits?

Your ability to be consistent.

• can you finish projects?
• do you stick out things like relationships and study courses?
• do you tend to move house or change jobs often?
• are you starting new hobbies all the time?

The way your brain thinks.

• do your thoughts race about from one thing to the next?

Your ways of rationalising and making decisions.

• do you make decisions really quickly?
• do you throw in the towel out of the blue?

Why am I so impulsive?

Genetics are being looked at as one of the causes. Neurobiologists are finding that the trait of impulsivity is connected to exact regions of the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex.

By: Derek Gavey

Related mental health conditions that have impulsivity as a symptom include:

• Adult ADHD
• borderline personality disorder
• Overeating
• Substance abuse
• Gambling addiction
• Sex addiction
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Internet addiction
• Shopping addiction.

What should I do if I suffer from impulsivity?

The very nature of impulsivity, lack of control and thought, means just ‘deciding’ to change would be unlikely to be effective.

To get your impulsivity under control and stop sabotaging good things it’s recommended to find support, such as the help of a professional psychotherapist. Several treatments psychotherapeutic treatments have been found to be effective for impulsivity.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps train your mind to think in less dramatic ways, which helps you to be less overreactive and make better choices for yourself.

Mindfulness is a practise of learning to notice how you are feeling and thinking as it happens. It has been found to be very helpful in impulsivity related to borderline personality disorder. One study found that participants no longer matched a diagnosis of the disorder after being treated with mindfulness.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) combines both cognitive therapy, mindfulness, and other things like metaphorical thinking. It was designed especially to help with impulsivity.

Do you have a question about your impulsiveness we didn’t answer? Ask below.

Andrea M. Darcy is the founding editor of this site. A popular mental health writer, she also coaches people on how to find a therapist. Diagnosed with ADHD when young, she knows a thing or two about impulsivity!