Behavioral disorder symptoms causes and effects

Behavioral disorders, also known as disruptive behavioral disorders, are the most common reasons that parents are told to take their kids for mental health assessments and treatment. Behavioral disorders are also common in adults. If left untreated in childhood, these disorders can negatively affect a person’s ability to hold a job and maintain relationships.

What Are the Types of Behavioral Disorders?

According to BehaviorDisorder.org, behavioral disorders may be broken down into a few types, which include:

Anxiety disorders
Disruptive behavioral disorders
Disassociative disorders
Emotional disorders
Pervasive developmental disorders

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ADHD is a condition that impairs an individual’s ability to properly focus and to control impulsive behaviors, or it may make the person overactive.

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ADHD is more common in boys than it is in girls. According to the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University, males are two to three times more likely than females to get ADHD.

Emotional Behavioral Disorder

An emotional behavioral disorder affects a person’s ability to be happy, control their emotions and pay attention in school. According to Gallaudet University, symptoms of an emotional behavioral disorder include:

Inappropriate actions or emotions under normal circumstances
Learning difficulties that are not caused by another health factor
Difficulty with interpersonal relationships, including relationships with teachers and peers
A general feeling of unhappiness or depression
Feelings of fear and anxiety related to personal or school matters

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

ODD is a behavioral disorder characterized by hostile, irritable and uncooperative attitudes in children, according to Children’s Mental Health Ontario. Children with ODD may be spiteful or annoying on purpose, and they generally direct their negative actions at authority figures.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion, and all people feel anxiety at some point in their lives. However, for some people, anxiety may get to a point where it interferes with their daily lives, causing insomnia and negatively affecting performance at work or school, according to the Mayo Clinic. Anxiety disorders involve more than regular anxiety. They are serious mental health conditions that require treatment. Examples of these types of mental conditions include:

Post-traumatic stress disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic disorder

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is characterized by fears and irrational thoughts that lead to obsessions, which, in turn, cause compulsions, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you have OCD, you engage in compulsive, repetitive behavior despite realizing the negative consequences of — or even the unreasonable nature of — your actions. Performing these repetitive acts does nothing more than relieve stress temporarily.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these behavioral disorders, it is important to get help as soon as possible, because these conditions can affect quality of life to such a degree that they may lead to self-harm. Please call 1-888-997-3147 for assistance.

What Causes a Behavioral Disorder?

A behavioral disorder can have a variety of causes. According to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the abnormal behavior that is usually associated with these disorders can be traced back to biological, family and school-related factors.

Some biological causes may include:

Physical illness or disability
Malnutrition
Brain damage
Hereditary factors

Other factors related to an individual’s home life may contribute to behaviors associated with a behavioral disorder:

Divorce or other emotional upset at home
Coercion from parents
Unhealthy or inconsistent discipline style
Poor attitude toward education or schooling

What Are the Signs of a Behavioral Disorder?

Someone who has a behavioral disorder may act out or display emotional upset in different ways, which will also vary from person to person.

Emotional Symptoms of Behavioral Disorders

According to Boston Children’s Hospital, some of the emotional symptoms of behavioral disorders include:

Easily getting annoyed or nervous
Often appearing angry
Putting blame on others
Refusing to follow rules or questioning authority
Arguing and throwing temper tantrums
Having difficulty in handling frustration

Physical Symptoms of Behavioral Disorders

Unlike other types of health issues, a behavioral disorder will have mostly emotional symptoms, with physical symptoms such as a fever, rash, or headache being absent. However, sometimes people suffering from a behavioral disorder will develop a substance abuse problem, which could show physical symptoms such as burnt fingertips, shaking or bloodshot eyes.

Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of a Behavioral Disorder

If left untreated, a behavioral disorder may have negative short-term and long-term effects on an individual’s personal and professional life. People may get into trouble for acting out, such as face suspension or expulsion for fighting, bullying or arguing with authority figures. Adults may eventually lose their jobs. Marriages can fall apart due to prolonged strained relationships, while children may have to switch schools and then eventually run out of options.

According to HealthyChildren.org, the most serious actions a person with a behavioral disorder may engage in include starting fights, abusing animals and threatening to use a weapon on others.

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