Understanding Involuntary Emotional Expressions

Presented by Avanir Pharmaceuticals

Does the person under your care appear to be easily upset? Cry frequently and without apparent reason? Or laugh at inappropriate times? Do they become easily agitated, frustrated or angry? It is possible that he or she has a disorder called Involuntary Emotional Expression Disorder (IEED).

Involuntary emotional expression disorder, or IEED, is a disorder that may occur in people who have a neurologic disease or injury. It causes sudden episodes of crying and/or laughing, outbursts of anger or frustration and even involuntary facial expressions. The emotional displays are typically out of proportion with the circumstances in which they occur, making it difficult to understand. You have probably witnessed first-hand varying degrees of these symptoms, and may not have been aware that the cause is IEED. Caregivers of IEED sufferers are typically left wondering, “How can I comfort my loved one?”

IEED can be extremely debilitating to both patients and caregivers.

Seeking information can help you feel more in control, while giving you the understanding you need to ensure your loved one gets the best possible care. The links below lead to additional information on the ieed.org Web site:

Understanding IEED
Living with IEED
Patient/caregiver stories (videos) about IEED
Free IEED resource kit and an episode diary

Coping with IEED

As you have likely witnessed with your loved one, IEED episodes can leave the patient feeling dismayed and frustrated. In tandem, the disruptive nature of the episodes can wreak havoc on caregivers and other family members. During and following an episode, it can be helpful to comfort your loved one and reassure him or her that there is no need to feel anxious about the situation.

Some IEED sufferers are unaware of their emotional outbursts; those around them feel the disruption most acutely. If your loved one lives with you and IEED episodes upset your spouse or your children, be sure to comfort them and affirm what they are feeling. Be open and honest about the disorder. Knowledge alone can bring comfort. Explain that the emotions displayed by someone with IEED may not always reflect what they are feeling on the inside.

Talk to Your Doctor

If the patient is amenable, it can be helpful for you to attend doctor appointments. This will provide you with a forum to ask questions. You will also be able to help your loved one describe his/her episodes and evaluate behavioral tactics to better manage the emotional outbursts.

Keep a journal that details your loved one’s episodes to reference during medical discussions. In addition, write down questions for the doctor, the answers you get, and next steps regarding care.

You can download a weekly IEED episode diary to track emotional outbursts: Weekly Episode Diary

IEED has a significant impact on both the patient’s and caregiver’s quality of life, and like any other debilitating condition, IEED can take a toll on personal relationships. It is important to remember that you are not alone. More than 1 million Americans diagnosed with diseases or injuries that affect the brain experience IEED. This means that there are many caregivers, just like you, who are focused on improving the quality of life for a loved one.

Most importantly, keep in mind that caring for a loved one can be an emotionally rewarding endeavor. You have taken another person’s best interest to heart, which makes all signs of progress especially meaningful. The shared memories you make together will give you the joy of knowing you were able to care for someone who loves you. Even if they are not able to say the words – your time together is the greatest ‘thank you’ of all.

For more information about IEED please visit http://www.IEED.org or call 1-888-323-1312