Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between “teens just being teens” and a legitimate behavior disorder. After all, most of us have a memory of when we were somewhat difficult to deal with as teenagers. The good news is that there are specific warning signs and symptoms that can help us determine when disruptive behavior disorders may be present. Also, it’s good to know that if one of these disorders is diagnosed, plenty of effective treatment options exist.
What Exactly Are Disruptive Behavior Disorders?
You may be wondering what exactly disruptive behavior disorders are. According to a 2022 article in the journal Brain Sciences, “Disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) refer to a group of conditions that typically share difficulties in modulating aggressive conducts, self-control, and impulses, with resulting behaviors that constitute a threat to others’ safety and to social norms.”
The article also explains how “Problematic issues with self-control associated with these disorders are commonly first observed in childhood, but may often persist into adolescence and adulthood, or pose a developmental risk for subsequent negative outcomes.” This fact is important because many people expect their child or teen to grow out of negative behaviors. However, disruptive behavior disorders usually require some type of professional intervention to overcome.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Disruptive Behavior Disorders?
Of course, trying to define the warning signs and symptoms of “disruptive behavior” is rather difficult. The term encompasses a broad range of behaviors. However, there are some more universal signs and symptoms when it comes to disruptive behavior disorders.
The following are just a few of the warning signs and symptoms of disruptive behavior disorders:
- An unwillingness to cooperate
- A refusal to follow any set rules or regulations
- Purposefully trying to antagonize and/or annoy others
- Becoming easily aggravated and annoyed by others
- Being argumentative, even about trivial inconsequential things
- Behaving in indignant, incensed, vindictive, and hurtful ways
- Feelings of anxiety and depression
- Having difficulty sleeping
- Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed
- Having a decreased interest in their appearance and personal hygiene
What Are the Types of Disruptive Behavior Disorders?
Many types of disruptive behavior disorders fall under the umbrella of that term. These disorders include oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, conduct disorders, and behavioral addictions. While they all have signs and symptoms that overlap, each disorder does have unique characteristics.
Understanding Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Oppositional defiant disorder is primarily categorized as such because it relates to a defiance of most (if not all) authority figures. Adolescents who struggle with this disorder tend to be overly emotional and struggle with mood swings. This disorder also tends to present with a high level of aggression.
Understanding Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Intermittent explosive disorder is defined by the lack of impulse control that a child has. Also, due to the impulsive nature of this disorder, it occurs off and on (hence the term “intermittent”). This disorder is also recognized by its aggressive and hostile nature.
Understanding Conduct Disorders
Conduct disorders are disorders that have a foundation of not following rules and pushing back against authority figures. Adolescents with a conduct disorder often have difficulty behaving in socially acceptable ways around others. As with the previously mentioned disorders, conduct disorders also have a level of aggression and potential violence often associated with them.
Understanding Behavioral Addictions
Behavioral addictions (also known as process addictions) have to do with addictive behaviors to an activity rather than a substance. A few of these disorders are social media disorder, gaming addiction, gambling addiction, eating disorders and disordered eating, sex addiction, and shopping addiction. These conditions are categorized as both addictions and disruptive behavior disorders. This is because the behaviors usurp respect for others and can disrupt any other activities that should take precedence.
Treating Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Depending on comorbidities, some teens may be treated medically for their disruptive behavior disorders. However, the primary way they are treated is through therapy. Generally, this includes psychotherapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
These therapies can often help address the underlying emotional issues causing the disruptive behaviors. Interventions such as these also help girls learn to choose better behaviors when difficult emotions arise.
Group therapy can also be extremely beneficial because it can show adolescents who are struggling with disruptive behavior disorders that they are not alone. These groups can also provide insight into how to change negative behaviors. When the solutions or strategies come from peers, they can sometimes be better received than they are when received from an authority figure or medical professional.
A Focus on Behavioral Recovery at Clearview
Here at Clearview, we focus on three types of recovery. These three types are academic, addiction, and behavioral. This means we help girls restore their academic progress, break free from addiction, and leave unproductive and self-defeating behaviors behind.
We know that dealing with a teen with a disruptive behavior disorder can be taxing, to say the least. However, we also know that these behaviors are not what defines a child. The key is to find the defining value underneath the behavior. As we identify girls’ strengths, they begin to relate from their strength of character rather than their strength of disruptive will. The key to healing is already there within them. We are just here to help them learn to use it.
Disruptive behavior disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, conduct disorder, and behavioral addiction are very common among adolescent populations. It can be highly beneficial to know what disruptive behavior disorders look like. Having this information can come in handy if there is ever a reason to suspect something more than “regular” teenage rebellion is going on. If you feel like your daughter may be struggling with issues of mental health, addiction, or both, please don’t wait to reach out. We can help your entire family recover. For more information on various disruptive behavior disorders and how to best treat them, contact Clearview Horizon today at 866-584-4788.
