Teens: Are They Just Moody or is it a Disorder?

We all know that dealing with teenagers can be a tough job, but did you ever think that there could be more to your teen’s outbursts than some wayward hormones?

The Telegraph reports today that 1 in 12 teens have such a short fuse that psychologists believe they could be suffering from Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). This disorder usually involves persistent and uncontrollable rages and teens suffering from IED may threaten or resort to physical violence.

A new study from the States, which surveyed over 10,000 teens, revealed that nearly two thirds of this number had a history of IED-style rages. It also found that of this number, 1 in 12 teens could actually be diagnosed with the disorder.

The study, which was published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, stated that IED was not being properly treated and that more needed to be done in order to help teenagers suffering from the disorder.

“If we can detect IED early and intervene with effective treatment right away, we can prevent a substantial amount of future violence perpetration and associated psychopathology,” said Professor Ronald Kessler, from the Harvard Medical School.