What Are Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorders?
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is a mental health disorder seen in children where a child presents irritability, anger, and persistent temper outbursts; these children react in a misappropriated and more severe way to the situation in comparison to children of the same age. These behaviors are beyond control and require medical attention.
The onset of the disorder is usually around the age of 10 years. The condition is diagnosed and treated between the age groups of 6-18 years of age. If left untreated or ignored, children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder can prove a threat to themselves as well as the people around them.
What Are the Causes of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorders?
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorders are commonly diagnosed around ten years, and the treatment is initiated between 6 years to 18 years. Researchers have stated the disorder's association with the malfunctioning of the amygdala, a center in the brain that regulates the interpretation and expression of emotions. Due to a defect in understanding, the child might respond adversely and present furiously when peers tease. These children often tend to remember negative social cues and highlight them.
Other causes of the disorder include:
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Genetics.
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Co-occurring mental health disorders: disorders like anxiety disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and major depressive disorder can increase the risk for the condition's occurrence.
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Childhood experiences of abuse or any emotional trauma.
How Are Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorders Presented?
Children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder present with typical signs and symptoms, which are as follows:
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Frequent mood swings, a child is irritable or angry throughout the day.
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Severe verbal or behavioral temperaments are inappropriate for the situation and age.
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Due to mood disruptions, these children are troubled and face difficulties functioning at school and home.
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These children face difficulties making new friends.
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These children are irritable and have severe temper tantrums at least three or more times a week.
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The history of tantrums and irritable behavior for the past year.
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Children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder cry and scream for long periods of the day.
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The temperament can even cause violent behaviors, including throwing objects, breaking furniture, hitting a person, or destroying toys.
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Remember negative social cues and often highlight them forgetting the excellent part of the social gathering.
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Misinterpreting the emotional displays of others and casual behaviors can be considered threatening.
What Are the Risk Factors for Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorders?
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Disruptive mood dysregulation disorders have a predilection in males.
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School-going children are more likely to develop disruptive behavior.
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Children with a family history of anxiety, depression, or substance abuse.
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Children with a history of irritable temperament before the age of 10.
What Are the Effects of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorders?
Unlike other mental health disorders, children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorders face problems and become a threat to society.
The following are the effect of the diseases:
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Conflicts In the family,
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Poor relationships with peers.
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Poor school performance
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Low participation in enjoyable extracurricular activities could affect social development
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Self-inflicting habits.
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Suicidal thoughts.
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Attempts to commit suicide.
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Frequent need for inpatient hospitalization.
Is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder Related to Other Disorders?
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorders are mainly found to have some association with other psychological disorders; therefore, it must be considered as and diagnostic test to rule out other conditions like oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), anxiety disorders, Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the major depressive disorder must be carried out.
How Is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder Diagnosed?
No specific diagnostic test is yet available to confirm the diagnosis of the disorder, but the physician uses the following diagnostic methods to conclude the diagnosis:
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Assessing the physical health of the child.
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Ruling out other mental health conditions.
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Evaluating symptoms and the duration and frequency of episodes.
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The physician interacts with the parents, teachers, or the people around him to get a clear view of the behaviors.
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Various questionnaires, and assessments, can be used to measure the severity of the disorder.
What Are the Treatments Available?
Treatment for disruptive mood dysregulation disorders mainly aims to control the symptoms and prevent repeated episodes. The ultimate goal is to achieve good social behaviors with the least tantrums and anger management.
Treatment Options Include:
Medication:
Medications like antipsychotic drugs used in other mental health disorders like bipolar disorders can be used to treat disruptive mood dysregulation disorders. However, this medication is somewhat effective but has presented multiple side effects. Thus making them inappropriate for use in children. Therefore nowadays, disruptive mood dysregulation disorders are treated by symptomatic medications.
Psychotherapies:
Psychotherapy is a treatment based on patient-doctor interactions. These therapies are carried out by psychiatrists or physiotherapists who carry out various counseling sessions for the children and promote positive behaviors. This treatment mainly aims at replacing negative behavioral thoughts with positive ones.
The duration of treatment is prolonged and requires cooperation from the patients to carry out multiple sessions effectively. Physiotherapists can advise lifestyle modifications like consuming healthy food, exercising regularly, promoting sound sleep, and socializing more often. The progress after each therapy is checked during consecutive sessions.
Contingency Management:
Contingency Management is one of the preferred methods to treat disruptive mood dysregulation disorders. It aims at educating parents to reinforce appropriate behaviors amongst children and minimize inappropriate behavior. In treating disruptive mood dysregulation disorders, parents play an essential role as it is a disorder in children.
Conclusion:
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorders are mental health disorders commonly seen around ten years; the symptoms comprise mood swings, irritations, bad temperaments, and negative behaviors. These children usually do not have good social relations. They often get so angry that they break toys, damage furniture, harm, or hit people around them.
These behaviors are diagnosed when these episodes frequently occur throughout the day, and the duration of attacks is prolonged. These children react to situations abnormally, whereas normal individuals do not. Treatment mainly aims at controlling the episodes and behavioral reinforcement. Treatment options include medications, psychotherapy, and contingency management.
