What Is Overly Impulsive Behavior?
For some people, overly impulsive behavior lasts into later childhood, the teenage years, and even adulthood. Too much impulsivity, or not enough impulse control, can lead to behavior problems or unsafe actions. For example, children might impulsively run into a busy street without looking, grab a toy from another child, hit others, throw things, or behave in other inappropriate ways. All children may act this way from time to time, but overly impulsive children repeat these behaviors again and again, even after numerous warnings from parents, teachers, and other adults. Teenagers and adults who lack impulse control may blurt out hurtful comments, not finish projects, have trouble listening, interrupt others frequently, or hit others when they’re angry. A pattern of such behavior can be a symptom of a behavior disorder. For instance, a greater than normal level of impulsivity is associated with the condition known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is characterize
