Impulsivity in Adults: Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment Options
We’ve all had certain moments when we say “yes” to plans we probably shouldn’t or blurt out a thought that probably needed a few more minutes to refine. These moments can be signs of impulsivity in adults. Yet, these slight incidences of impulsivity can sometimes make life more interesting.
However, when impulsive moments occur overly frequently and their resulting fallout makes life difficult, they could be a sign of something deeper going on.
When impulsivity begins to take over, it can spill into different parts of life and create problems that are hard to untangle. For instance, impulsivity can create issues with finances, relationships, work, and even the legal system.
For this reason, if impulsivity is a concern for you or a loved one, professional mental health guidance may be necessary to help you regain control.
This page can work as a useful guide for understanding impulsivity in adults, as it explores:
- How to understand impulsivity
- The potential benefits of occasional impulsivity
- How frequent impulsivity can affect your life
- Mental health conditions linked to impulsivity
- Recognizing the signs of impulsivity
- How Mission Connection can help with impulsivity
What Is Impulsivity?
From a neurobiological point of view, impulsivity happens when self-regulation momentarily slips.1 The brain contains two systems that usually balance each other: one focused on control and planning, and the other driven by emotion and reward. When this balance tips too far toward reward, impulses can take over before reason can intervene.1 This reaction can explain why someone might buy something they don’t need or act on a sudden urge without weighing up the outcomes.
But impulsivity shouldn’t always be viewed as problematic, as it actually has deep evolutionary roots. Evolutionary psychologists argue that impulsivity once served as a survival mechanism, benefitting those who could make immediate decisions when danger or opportunity appeared.2 Even today, traces of this instinct remain, surfacing in the quick decisions we make under pressure or emotion.
Are There Benefits of Impulsivity in Today’s World?
Psychologists refer to this type of impulsivity as “functional impulsivity”4 – the ability to act quickly when doing so is advantageous. For example:
Quick reactions can be useful in fast-paced situations like emergency responses or those involved in a leadership role- Acting on sudden ideas can create innovation and originality, especially in flexible or creative environments5
- Small acts of spontaneity, such as surprise plans or thoughtful gestures, can strengthen relationships and make life feel more vibrant5
While such situations often call for a quick judgment and a burst of impulsivity, they’re rarely needed for the vast majority of people on a daily basis. In fact, when a person is frequently impulsive, it can cause a lot of issues in their lives. But what are these impacts of frequent impulsivity?
How Can Frequent Impulsivity Affect a Person’s Life?
So far, we’ve explored why impulsivity exists and when it can be useful, but frequent impulsivity can take a serious toll on different areas of a person’s life. Research highlights several areas where this can happen, including the following.
Cognitive Impairments
High impulsivity is sometimes linked with difficulties in reasoning and problem-solving. People who act before fully processing information tend to struggle with tasks that demand patience or sustained concentration.3 So, naturally, anyone in a working environment may suffer as a result of impulsivity, but perhaps especially those in academia. This is because, when quick reactions replace deliberate thought, long-term goals can start to slip further away.
Risky Behaviors
Studies show that people who are more impulsive often engage in dangerous driving habits like speeding or taking risks on the road. Understandably, these risks can increase their chance of being involved in accidents.6
High impulsivity can also lead to angry or aggressive outbursts, especially in emotional situations or when alcohol is involved. In fact, research has found that people with higher impulsivity are more likely to get into fights or act aggressively when intoxicated.7
Poor impulse control can also appear in other ways, such as engaging in unsafe sexual behavior during times of stress.3
Financial Instability
People who struggle with impulse control can easily make decisions they later regret, especially when those choices affect their long-term stability. Research states that frequent impulsivity can lead to reckless spending or agreeing to commitments without fully considering the consequences.8 This impulsivity could be anything from high-stakes gambling to opening a credit account without considering if repayment options are possible for them at that time.
Each of these potential impacts of impulsivity can also lead to relationship problems and legal ramifications – especially if the behaviors continue without intervention.
What Mental Health Conditions Are Linked to Impulsivity Issues?
As our understanding of psychology grows, we’re learning that many of the issues people face can be traced back to underlying root causes. Impulsivity is one of these issues, and it’s actually known as a “transdiagnostic trait,” meaning it can appear across several mental health conditions. Understanding the potential driving force behind impulsivity can help professionals gain clearer insights into how to treat the issue for each person at hand.
Below, we explore what research says about the connection between impulsivity and different mental health conditions
Impulsivity and ADHD
For example, people with ADHD may interrupt others or find it hard to wait their turn, and while these actions aren’t deliberate, they reflect how quickly impulses can override control.9 Further, adults with ADHD may also find themselves in risky or avoidable situations frequently, as the urge to act immediately can feel overwhelming.10
Clinically, ADHD can be diagnosed as the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type or the combined type,11 which highlights just how central impulsivity can be to the condition’s overall pattern.
Bipolar Disorder
This can lead to a range of negative behaviors,13 such as:
Reckless spending- Dangerous driving
- Risky sexual behavior
- Spur-of-the-moment decisions that cause long-term problems.
Additionally, research shows that impulsivity in bipolar disorder doesn’t always disappear when mood stabilizes. Even during calmer, balanced periods, many people with bipolar disorder still show higher impulsivity compared to those without the condition.14 This finding suggests that impulsivity isn’t only a symptom of mood episodes but may be a lasting trait that affects daily life and decision-making over time.
Borderline Personality Disorder
The diagnostic criteria for BPD back this statement up, as they include impulsivity in at least two areas that may be self-damaging.15 This means that those with BPD may:
Binge eat- Problem gamble
- Engage in unsafe sexual encounters
- Abruptly leave relationships
- Abruptly leave jobs.
Other Disorders Linked to Impulsivity
Impulse-control disorders: This group of conditions centers directly on difficulty resisting urges. Examples include intermittent explosive disorder, where people experience sudden outbursts of aggression, as well as kleptomania and pyromania, which involve stealing or fire-setting behaviors.16 In each case, the person feels an overwhelming internal tension that is only briefly relieved after acting on the impulse.- Antisocial personality disorder: Impulsivity also forms a major part of ASPD, where people frequently act without regard for rules or the well-being of others.16 This can lead to aggressive behaviors or reckless acts that place both themselves and others at risk. Combined with low empathy, this impulsive pattern could contribute to ongoing difficulties with responsibility and lawful conduct.16
- Eating disorders: People with bulimia nervosa, for example, may binge eat large amounts of food in moments of lost control before compensating with purging.17
If you’re trying to understand where you stand in your relationship with impulsivity, the variety of mental health conditions listed here may make clarity difficult to achieve. While one-to-one professional support is the best avenue to achieving clarity, the following self-assessment may also give you a better understanding of whether impulsivity is an issue for you.
Do I Have Impulsivity Issues?
Sometimes, the best way to really understand yourself is by taking a closer look at what’s going on beneath the surface. Below are a few questions designed to help you reflect on whether impulsivity could be playing a bigger role in your life than you realize.
Note: These questions won’t diagnose any mental health condition, but they might open the door for an honest conversation with yourself or a professional.
Do you…
- …often act on urges without thinking?
- …sometimes do things you quickly regret?
- …frequently feel restless when things move too slowly for your liking?
- …have people close to you who would describe you as “reckless”?
- …feel bored unless something exciting or spontaneous is happening?
If you’ve answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it may help to reach out for mental health support to discuss your options. Talking things through with a professional can help you understand where your impulsivity comes from and how to manage it in ways that bring more balance to your life.
How Is Impulsivity Treated?
If you’ve taken the self-assessment quiz and realized you might have an issue with impulsivity, it’s completely natural to feel uneasy. Nobody enjoys the thought of having a problem, and this discomfort can easily lead people to push it aside. After all, the idea of getting treatment can sound intimidating – even a little frightening. But, often, such concerns can stem from the fear of the unknown; not knowing what to expect can make the process seem far worse than it actually is.
For this reason, in this section, we’ll walk you through the two main treatment therapies for impulsivity and what they involve. Of course, everyone’s journey is different, but by shedding some light on the process, we hope to help you see that support is far less daunting once you understand it.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
The benefits of CBT for impulsivity have also been shown in research. For instance, in one study, adults who completed a 14-session CBT course showed a marked reduction in impulsive behavior compared to those who received no treatment.18
Therefore, because the therapy can be tailored to individual needs and focuses on developing practical self-control strategies, CBT is widely used as a starting point in treatment.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
So, in a nutshell, CBT focuses on changing thought patterns, and DBT works more directly with emotions. Many treatment programs now blend elements of both, creating a balanced way to manage impulsivity from different angles.
Can Mission Connection Help Me Control Impulsivity?
At Mission Connection, we have years of experience treating people with a wide range of mental health conditions. While there isn’t a program dedicated solely to impulsivity, we treat many of the conditions it’s linked with, allowing for more tailored and specialized care. This includes treatment options for:
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- ADHD
- Depression
- Anxiety
Our programs take place in facilities across the US, either through intensive outpatient (IOP) care or, when needed, partial hospitalisation (PHP) options.
At the heart of every one of our programs sits therapy, where we combine evidence-based approaches like CBT and DBT with individual and group sessions. Led by licensed professionals, these sessions offer understanding and guidance while helping you address the impulsivity that may be affecting your life.
We also provide telehealth options for those balancing busy schedules or personal commitments, so you can receive treatment in a way that fits your life.
Reach out to Mission Connection today, and take the first step toward feeling more in control of your life again.
References
- Heatherton, T. F., & Wagner, D. D. (2011). Cognitive neuroscience of self-regulation failure. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(3), 132–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2010.12.005
- Atsushi, K., & Ohtsubo, Y. (2022). Can impulsivity evolve in response to childhood environmental harshness? Evolutionary Human Sciences, 4. https://doi.org/10.1017/ehs.2022.22
- Herman, A. M., Critchley, H. D., & Duka, T. (2018). Risk-Taking and Impulsivity: The Role of Mood States and Interoception. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01625
- Dickman, S. J. (1990). Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity: Personality and cognitive correlates. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(1), 95–102. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.58.1.95
- Goldstein, S. (2025). Can Acting on Impulse Lead to Success? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/common-sense-science/202502/can-acting-on-impulse-lead-to-success
- Pearson, M. R., Murphy, E. M., & Doane, A. N. (2013). Impulsivity-like traits and risky driving behaviors among college students. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 53, 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2013.01.009
- Murphy, C., & MacKillop, J. (2011). Living in the here and now: interrelationships between impulsivity, mindfulness, and alcohol misuse. Psychopharmacology, 219(2), 527–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2573-0
- Achtziger, A. (2022). Overspending, Debt, and Poverty. Current Opinion in Psychology, 46(1), 101342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101342
- Elmaghraby, R., & Garayalde, S. (2022). What is ADHD? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Symptoms of ADHD. Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/signs-symptoms/index.html
- Cuffari, B. (2020, April 15). The Relationship Between Impulsivity and ADHD. News-Medical.net. https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Relationship-Between-Impulsivity-and-ADHD.aspx
- Santana, R. P., Kerr-Gaffney, J., Ancane, A., & Young, A. H. (2022). Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder: State or Trait? Brain Sciences, 12(10), 1351. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12101351
- Mayo Clinic. (2024, August 14). Bipolar disorder. Mayo Clinic; Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bipolar-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355955
- Ramírez-Martín, A., Ramos-Martín, J., Mayoral-Cleries, F., Moreno-Küstner, B., & Guzman-Parra, J. (2020). Impulsivity, decision-making and risk-taking behavior in bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 50(13), 2141–2153. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291720003086
- Sebastian, A., Jacob, G., Lieb, K., & Tüscher, O. (2013). Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder: A Matter of Disturbed Impulse Control or a Facet of Emotional Dysregulation? Current Psychiatry Reports, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-012-0339-y
- Fischer, S., Smith, G., & Cyders, M. (2008). Another look at impulsivity: A meta-analytic review comparing specific dispositions to rash action in their relationship to bulimic symptoms. Clinical Psychology Review, 28(8), 1413–1425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.09.001
- Shin-Yee Wong, R. (2023). Psychopathology of antisocial personality disorder: from the structural, functional and biochemical perspectives. The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 59(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-023-00717-4
- Rostamzadeh, M., Husseini, A. A., & Mosier, W. (2024). Evaluating the Efficacy of Dialectical and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies in Reducing Impulsive Behaviors. Journal of Public Health and Primary Care, 5(3), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_10_24