US study claims road rage may be a psychiatric disorder

A PSYCHIATRIC condition that can be behind road rage is much more common than previously thought, according to a new US study.

Up to 16 million Americans suffer from intermittent explosive disorder (IED), researchers found.

It involves multiple angry outbursts that are way out of proportion to the situation, often including threats or aggressive actions and property damage.

Road rage, throwing or breaking objects in a temper and even spousal abuse can sometimes be attributed to the disorder — although not everyone who does those things has it.

The study of 9,282 US adults found that 5% to 7% of the sample had had the disorder.

That equals up to 16 million Americans — a higher number than those in the US who have better-known mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The average age the disorder began was 14, the study found, with the average number of lifetime attacks per person was 43, causing $1,359 (€1,059) in damage to property per person.

Study co-author Dr Emil Coccaro, of the University of Chicago’s medical school, said the disorder involved inadequate production or functioning of mood-regulating brain chemical serotonin.

“People think it’s bad behaviour and that you just need an attitude adjustment, but what they don’t know... is that there’s a biology and cognitive science to this,” Dr Coccaro said.