Dr. Manorama Prakash

A certain psychiatric condition, which causes a person to be functionally impaired in social and occupational settings is known as Impulse Control Disorder. Most of you are granted with the ability to think before you act but it isn't the case for people suffering with such a condition. People diagnosed with this condition are not able to withstand the urge to do something detrimental to themselves or other people.

This condition is similar to other disorders such as kleptomania, compulsive gambling and pyromania to name a few. Although people suffering from this disorder do not plan their acts, the acts they do perform generally fulfill their conscious wishes. Other disorders of such similar nature like Kleptomania and ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), which are associated with difficulty in controlling impulses but that is not their chief feature. Patients of impulse control disorder find it highly distressful and are hence often seen to lose control of their actions and consequently their lives.

What causes this disorder?
Some medical practitioners are of the opinion that this disorder is a subgroup of other conditions, such as stress, anxiety, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and etc. Scientists and researchers are not particularly sure what causes this condition but have determined that it can be caused due to a combination of physiological, emotional and psychological factors pertaining to cultural and societal aspects. Also, certain brain structures linked to emotions and memory functions in and around the frontal lobe are linked to planning functions and impulses.

Some studies show that certain hormones such as testosterone which are associated with aggression and violence may also play a role in forming such disorder. Aggressive and violent behaviors are apparent in people suffering from this disorder. Certain studies have shown a connection between certain forms of seizure disorders and aggressive impulsive behaviors.

People with such disorders are also more likely to contract addiction and mood disorders. Antidepressants are usually prescribed in treating such disorders. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychiatrist.

Coughing during the night can really wreak havoc for your sleep and cause inexplicable discomfort in the throat and chest region. Thankfully, you can manage it by soothing your tickling throat as well as sensitive airways before you go to bed at night. 

1. Drink herbal tea: A mugful of non-caffeinated tea mixed with a teaspoon of honey before going to bed can help you to a considerable extent. This is because any warm liquid has the power to break down the formation of mucus in the throat region and with a bit of honey, the herbal tea becomes even more powerful.
2. Try to sleep in an inclining position: Gravity is your greatest enemy while combating night-time cough. When you lie down flat on your back at night, all the mucus and dust particles, which you have swallowed all through the day, would accumulate in the throat area and aggravate it making more cough. But you can easily defy gravitational force by piling up some pillows and prop yourself on them while sleeping. You may also keep a wooden block of 4 inches height under your head, which would keep the acids in the stomach so that they don’t come up to irritate your throat.
3. Make sure you use the steam cautiously: When your airways are dry, it can make you cough harder. Therefore, you may find relief if you take a warm shower or a bath before going to bed. But you have to be sure that you don’t have asthma as steam can prove harmful for you.
4. Check the level of humidity: Humidifiers are known to soothe the problem of persistent coughing when the surrounding air is dry. But too much of moisture during the night can also make you cough. This is because dust mites, mold and other allergens thrive well in the damp air and they could conspire to make your cough even worse. So, pick up a cheap hygrometer from a hardware store and see that the humidity level stays within 40 to 50 percent.
5. Equip yourself at night: Keep all the things from drops to water to cough syrup or anything that soothes coughing at your bedside so that you can help yourself in case you wake up in the middle of the night and start coughing.

By following these few tips every day, you can manage the night time cough and have a good night’s sleep without any interruptions. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.