Background: Impulse Control Disorders (ICDs) are an eclectic group of conditions in which a person has a drive, urge, or temptation, to perform a potentially harmful act, or fails to resist an impulse.
Methods: Authors reviewed the current medical literature addressing this diverse group of disorders.
Results: Although the behaviors associated with these conditions can cause a great deal of suffering for patients and their families, they have remained relatively under-researched and poorly characterized.
Conclusions: Recent studies have explored both pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, giving rise to greater hope for the development of more effective treatments for these challenging disorders.