Please remember, this column is designed to help the consumer seeking behavioral-health information, and not intended to be any form of psychotherapy or a replacement for professional, individualized services. Opinions expressed in the column are those of the columnist and do not represent the position of other SelfhelpMagazine.com staff.

Question

I have a relative in prison who has a history of explosiveness. Could this be a psychiatric problem and what can I do to help?

Answer

Let me preface my answer by saying that I'm not in a place to comment on how psychiatric conditions are viewed from a legal perspective. Explosive behavior can indeed be a manifestation of a psychiatric problem, even a neurological one.

Explosiveness can reflect pent-up anger or poor impulse control. It can also be a symptom of conditions ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to depression. Some acts of explosiveness also relate to neurological conditions such as temporal lobe seizures.

Your relative might be able to request evaluation of these conditions through prison medical personnel. Another option would be for the family to work with an attorney to request these evaluations. What would be important would be to obtain a thorough evaluation so that an accurate diagnosis might be obtained.

08/07/98

Richard B. Patterson is a clinical psychologist in private practice in El Paso, TX. He is the author of three books on psychology and spirituality.