Treatment

There's no single treatment that's best for everyone with intermittent explosive disorder. Treatment generally includes talk therapy (psychotherapy) and medication.

Psychotherapy

Individual or group therapy sessions that focus on building skills can be helpful. A commonly used type of therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, helps people with intermittent explosive disorder:

• Identify which situations or behaviors may trigger an aggressive response
• Learn how to manage anger and control inappropriate responses using techniques such as relaxation training, thinking differently about situations (cognitive restructuring), and applying communication and problem-solving skills

Medication

Different types of medications may help in the treatment of intermittent explosive disorder. These may include certain antidepressants ? specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) ? anticonvulsant mood stabilizers or other drugs if needed.