| Do you tailgate other cars when you want them to | | | | such as alcoholism, depression, and domestic violence. |
| go faster? What about showing impatience by | | | | Once it is diagnosed, treatment for IED includes |
| flashing your headlights? Do you honk your horn at | | | | antidepressants, anger management, and cognitive |
| other cars that seem to be a little slow reacting to a | | | | behavioral therapy, or treatment based on the fact |
| green light? | | | | that feelings and actions are caused by thoughts and |
| Watch out. Impulse reactions such as these are | | | | not people or events. |
| warning signs of a clinical disorder called | | | | Not everybody thinks road rage should be blamed on |
| INTERMITTENT EXPLOSIVE DISORDER, or IED. That | | | | a mental disorder. According to one survey, 75% |
| is right! Road rage is now officially recognized as a | | | | think of IED as an excuse to avoid accepting |
| form of mental illness. | | | | responsibility. Crowded highways, greater urgency, |
| A recent study funded by the National Institute of | | | | sleep deprivation, added stress, poor driving habits, |
| Mental Health found evidence of IED in 1 out of 20 | | | | and more drivers with bad manners are also likely |
| Americans surveyed, meaning as many as 15 or 16 | | | | contributing factors to the rising number of road rage |
| million of us are prone to road rage. According to lead | | | | incidents. |
| author Ronald Kessler, a Harvard professor of health | | | | Whatever the cause, road rage is now a common |
| care policy, an awful lot of people in America have | | | | occurrence, with many incidents ending in violent |
| IED, a condition characterized by overreaction with | | | | behavior, destruction, or injury. To avoid potential |
| explosive anger attacks that are out of proportion to | | | | problems while driving, always be courteous. |
| the situation. | | | | Tailgating, changing lanes without signaling, and other |
| A big problem, according to Kessler, is they are not | | | | aggressive tactics are uncalled for unless you are the |
| being treated because they do not think they have a | | | | one looking for trouble. Avoid confrontation and eye |
| problem. They think somebody else has a problem. | | | | contact with other drivers that may have done you |
| Experts worry that the rising trend of IED among | | | | wrong. Take a deep breath, let it go, and move on. |
| teenagers may lead to future mental health problems | | | | |