Some adults have great difficulty handling internal upsets, and some even become habitually impulsive. Such people usually carry high emotional burdens from childhood neglect or trauma. That burden takes the form of emotional pain, which affects them both consciously and unconsciously.
Many antisocial people learn to express pain and frustration by acting-out their upsets from a young age – they react by doing bad things or taking out their feelings on others, and that coping style becomes a habit, as it makes them feel better in the short-term. They may also use drugs or alcohol to reduce internal pain. Intoxication can contribute to poor choices and loss of control. (People with addictions or substance use problems are encouraged to seek professional help from a drug and alcohol agency or clinical psychologist in their area). A number of men who engage in inappropriate sexual activity with children are not chronic offenders, but regress to such activities after rare life stresses that re-awaken pain arising from unmet childhood needs.