Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Adults

young people arguing in the street

If you have an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), you experience chaos and combative relationships in your life. What is oppositional defiant disorder? It is a mental health condition that causes a person to act out and rebel against others. The person’s inability to see their own hand in causing disagreements and problems in relationships, and at work and school frustrates them.

Montare Behavioral Health in Tucson understands how to interpret the symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder in adults and provide a diagnosis. This allows us to create a treatment plan designed to help you change how you view yourself and others. Our goal is to help you feel more at ease about yourself and less likely to act in defiance against others.

What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

What is oppositional defiant disorder, and how does it impact people’s lives? ODD is a mental illness that affects how a person sees themselves and others. For example, they often rebel purely to defy others, even without any tangible benefit. Oppositional defiant disorder in adults causes them to rebel against others and turn conversations or requests into debates and arguments.

Furthermore, individuals feel an overwhelming need to defy people who are in a position of authority, even if they only project that authority on them. Much like a petulant child, adults with this disorder often react in anger and refuse to do reasonable things asked of them. In fact, the illness typically begins in childhood when a young person becomes defiant around their parents, teachers, and others in a position of authority.

What Causes ODD?

Adult oppositional defiant disorder can have its roots in different causal factors. Genetics can play a part, as it often does with mental health disorders. A person with a family member who has an oppositional disorder has an increased chance of developing one.

The environment in which a child grows up can contribute to their development of oppositional defiant disorder, which may persist into adulthood if left untreated. A child who never learned to manage emotions or faced healthy consequences for defiance may struggle to act maturely as an adult. These children may have been victims of neglect, abuse, and other traumatizing events.

Finally, when a person’s brain chemistry is faulty, it can influence the development of ODD and other mental illnesses.

What Does Oppositional Defiant Disorder Look Like in Adults?

Oppositional defiant disorder in adults causes the individual to act out in three ways: constantly angry or in a bad mood, defiant or argumentative behaviors, and vindictiveness. For instance, the person may start arguments with their romantic partner or refuse to follow instructions from their boss. If these tactics don’t get them what they want, they often act out in a vindictive manner and try to “get even” with those who they believe kept them from getting their way.

Approximately 3.3% of adults have ODD. Unless the person receives professional counseling, they will continue to act out in counter-productive ways and alienate family, friends, and co-workers.

It is quite common for someone with oppositional defiant disorder to also have another type of mental illness. This can include anxiety disorders, impulse control disorders, and mood disorders. As well, many people with ODD also struggle with a substance use disorder.

Can Adults Be Treated for Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

Treating adult oppositional defiant disorder is most effective when individuals recognize their condition and feel motivated to make changes. Typically, ODD can be addressed through outpatient or residential programs. However, residential treatment is often more effective as it removes home and work stressors, enabling focused recovery.

Therapy modalities that work well for treating ODD include individual therapy. This provides a comfortable and private spot for the person to open up about their need to be defiant and how to change it. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people examine their emotions and thoughts and recognize how they are connected to their behaviors. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy aids in helping someone to accept who they are right now while striving to make positive changes.

Prescription medications can be used to help manage any co-occurring mental illnesses. For example, if the person also has a mood disorder, the right medication can help level out their emotions, which makes it easier to work on healing their ODD.

Contact Montare Tucson to Explore Treatment Options

Montare Behavioral Health in Tucson provides assessments and treatment for oppositional defiant disorder in adults. We help people reframe how they see themselves and others, and the way they interact in the world. Attending a variety of therapy modalities helps ease the symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder and calms the individual who has them.

Contact us today to get more information about our program for oppositional defiant disorder. We can help you or someone you love to enjoy healthier and more satisfying relationships.

Published: 12/11/2024

Dylan H