Treating impulse control disorder, not elsewhere classified, may involve mental health therapy, medication or a combination of both. Because many disorders can be chronic, treatment may need to be long-term.

Therapy may be performed in a one-on-one setting with a mental health professional, or in small groups with a professional facilitator. Some commonly used therapies include:

• Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Helps patients to recognize the connection between thoughts and behaviors, and replace distorted thoughts with realistic ones. For example, learning to identify the cognitive distortions that trigger feelings of rage may help patients with intermittent explosive disorder (IED) manage and learn to appropriately express anger.
  
  
• Behavior modification. Uses various learning techniques (e.g., negative reinforcement) to reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors. This may help people with impulse control disorders such as kleptomania, pyromania, trichotillomania and gambling addiction to reduce or eliminate the impulsive behavior.
  
  
• Biofeedback. Involves learning to alter bodily functions (e.g., breathing, heart beat, blood pressure) through relaxation and feedback from a machine that can measure changes in these functions. Patients with intermittent explosive disorder may learn to alter bodily sensations that normally precede their aggressive behavior.
  
  
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Communication with a therapist about one’s thoughts, feelings, emotions and behavior. This may help people with impulse control disorders to identify underlying emotional issues that may be contributing to the impulsive behavior. For example, patients who self-injure in any way (e.g., trichotillomania) may come to understand why they engage in these behaviors.
  
  
• Support groups. Groups of people with similar conditions or disorders who meet to share information and provide emotional support to one another. Support groups such as Gamblers Anonymous may help people with a gambling addiction refrain from gambling. Support groups are available in person and on the Internet.

Medications used to treat impulse control disorders include:

• Mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, anticonvulsant medications). Drugs that affect fluctuations of moods. This type of medication may help patients with impulse control disorders such as IED.
  
  
• Antidepressants. Drugs that affect neurotransmitter levels in the brain and are primarily used to treat mood disorders. They may also help patients with impulse control disorders.
  
  
• Naltrexone. A drug used to block the rush or “high” feeling that can make addictions pleasurable. Primarily used to prevent substance abuse, it may also be effective for patients with impulse control disorders such as a gambling addiction.