Behavioural and addictive disorders

The essentials

This group covers problems in behaviour control, eating and the use of substances.

Disruptive, impulse-control and conduct disorders involve behaviour that violates the rights of others or social rules. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) shows age-inappropriate stubbornness, hostility, defiance and disobedience. Conduct disorder involves repeated serious violations of rules and of others' rights, such as aggression towards people or animals, destruction of property, deceitfulness and theft. Types of aggression include verbal, physical, hostile (aimed at causing harm) and proactive (dominating or bullying without provocation).

Key points

• Feeding and eating disorders:
• Anorexia nervosa: distorted body image, seeing oneself as overweight; refusing to eat, exercising compulsively, leading to dangerous weight loss.
• Bulimia nervosa: eating excessive amounts of food (binge) followed by purging through vomiting or laxatives, or fasting or excessive exercise.
• Binge eating disorder: frequent episodes of out-of-control eating without purging, eating faster than normal.
• Substance-related and addictive disorders: regular use of substances like alcohol, cocaine or heroin that changes thinking, feeling and behaviour, causes problems at home, school or work, and continues despite harm.
• Alcohol use disorder: drinking large amounts regularly and depending on it, damaging family, social and work life and physical health, such as the liver.
• Heroin is an opioid that reduces pain and produces a rush of pleasure; cocaine is a stimulant that increases arousal and alertness.
• Tolerance means needing more of a substance for the same effect; withdrawal means unpleasant symptoms when use stops.

Exam tips

• Separate anorexia (restricting food) from bulimia (bingeing then purging).

Common mistakes

• Treating ODD and conduct disorder as the same; conduct disorder involves more serious rule-breaking and harm to others.