Impulsivity, Compulsivity,
and Addiction
Impulsivity and compulsivity are symptoms that cut across many psychiatric disorders. For instance, both can exist during a manic episode, ADHD, agitation and dementia, and addictions.


“>Impulsivity can be defined as a predisposition toward a rapid unplanned reaction to internal or external stimuli. Impulsivity, usually, diminishes regard for the negative consequences of these actions.Compulsivity, on the other hand, is defined as a performance of repetitive and dysfunctional behavior that has no adaptive function. Compulsive behavior is performed in a habitual or stereotypical fashion, either according to rigid rules, or as a means of avoiding negative consequences. Impulsivity is the inability to stop initiating actions and compulsivity terminates ongoing actions. Both conditions can be treated by attending psychotherapy, taking medications, or both.
Addictions to cannabis, nicotine, alcohol, opiates, stimulants, hallucinogens, and pathogens, may represent with both impulsive and compulsive disorders. Behavioral addictions can present themselves in different behavioral modalities such as binge eating disorder, gambling disorder, and/or Internet gaming disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive related disorders can include obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, skin picking, hoarding, shopping, hypochondriasis, and somatization.
Impulse control disorders may exist during agitation in Alzheimer Disease, ADHD, mood disorders, pyromania, kleptomania, paraphilias, hypersexual disorder, autism spectrum disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome and tic disorders, stereotype movement disorders, borderline personality disorder, self-harm and suicidal behaviors, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, and aggression and violence that includes impulsive psychotic and psychopathic symptoms.
Addiction disorders are treated in a different way. For instance, there is a different medication that can treat nicotine addiction as well as certain psychotherapies that address this issue. This is why each patient has to be evaluated on an individual basis which then allows the development of an individual treatment plan.
Alcohol addiction is one of the most prevalent addictions that our clinicians address with their patients. Patients that present with alcohol addiction may see Dr. Wegierek for medication management, as well as for psychotherapy, or they may begin with psychotherapy with a different clinician as a first step in the process.
The use of cannabis involves a range of benefits and risks. The benefits of cannabis use are related to chronic pain, chemotherapy, induced nausea, and spasticity in multiple sclerosis. On the other hand, substantial evidence also includes the risk of respiratory symptoms, moving vehicle crashes, lower birth weight, and psychosis. Other evidence associated with benefits of cannabis use include sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, airway dynamics, and psychosis. Other risks associated with cannabis use relate to overdose injuries in pediatric population, impaired learning, memory and attention, increase hypomania in bipolar disorder, depressive disorder resulting in anxiety disorders, as well as development of substance use disorder for other substances. Thus far, there is insufficient evidence demonstrating success in using cannabis for dementia, intraocular pressure associated with glaucoma, depression and chronic pain for multiple sclerosis, cancer, anorexia nervosa, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, spasticity in spinal cord injury, Huntington Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, addiction, and psychosis.
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