What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

It’s normal for kids and teens to occasionally defy their parents or guardians. They tend to push back (metaphorically) to test how strong our boundaries are and see if our connection is secure.

But there is a difference between testing the waters and openly defying any authority figure over and over again. In fact, some people experience Oppositional Defiance Disorder.

The Mayo Clinic says OOD “includes a frequent and ongoing pattern of anger, irritability, arguing and defiance toward parents and other authority figures. ODD also includes being spiteful and seeking revenge, a behaviour called vindictiveness.”

OOD generally begins and shows in childhood, but it can show up in adults when left untreated. It displays as argumentative behaviour, anger and irritability, spite and vindictiveness.

In this infographic by Therapist.com, we learn more about the basics of OOD and how it shows up in different age groups. Plus, it explores different forms of treatment.

Take a look at the infographic and see what you learn. You can download a high-resolution version here.