Emotional dysregulation is associated with ADHD. Some ways to manage it include medication, therapy, and mindfulness strategies.
Emotional dysregulation is a term that describes difficulty in controlling and regulating everyday emotions. For individuals with ADHD, triggers can lead to intense or unpredictable emotions.
A 2020 review of studies reported that up to
Knowing the possible causes of emotional dysregulation can help determine whether your symptoms may be related to ADHD, especially if you weren’t previously diagnosed as a child.
Symptoms of emotional dysregulation can start in childhood and persist into adulthood.
Emotional dysregulation in ADHD can look like:
- Feeling intense emotions, such as anger or anxiety
- Crying in response to different feelings, including happiness
- Being unable to not focus on your emotions
- Experiencing emotions that seem out of proportion
- Feeling mood swings and unpredictable emotions
- Having a low tolerance for frustrating situations
- Not being aware of other people’s feelings
- Not being able to soothe and calm yourself
- Focusing mostly on negatives
- Becoming overly excited
There are a handful of reasons for the link between emotional dysregulation and ADHD. A
The amygdala, a part of the brain that regulates various emotions, may also function differently in those with ADHD compared to those without ADHD. Another part of the brain associated with regulating emotions, the frontal cortex, may not activate as much as it is supposed to in those with ADHD.
Further, greater emotional dysregulation is associated with more severe ADHD symptoms.
Emotional dysregulation in ADHD can lead to negative effects, including:
- relationship difficulties
- poor friendship quality
- increased risk of depression and anxiety
- greater functional impairments
Medications for ADHD, such as stimulants, may help improve your ability to regulate emotions.
Therapeutic techniques may also help you learn strategies for coping with strong emotions and reducing potentially dangerous impulsive behaviors. Dialectical behavior therapy can help you healthily work through your emotions.
It is also important to invest time in daily self-care strategies at home to help you manage stress that could increase the risk of emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. These may include the following:
- deep breathing or meditation
- implementing mindfulness techniques
- daily exercise
Though you may think that repressing your emotions can help prevent outbursts, it is important to acknowledge your emotions. They are a part of being human, and being aware of them does not mean you have to act on them.
The way that you talk to yourself is also important. If your self-talk reflects anger, sadness, or frustration, those emotions can subsequently influence the way that you act or feel. Reframing your language positively can help.
Further, it can also help to be aware of your triggers. While some triggers may be unavoidable—such as the stress associated with presenting in a work meeting—giving yourself time to prepare ahead before and process the event after can help you manage your emotions.
The 7-11 breathing technique
- Breathe in for seven seconds.
- Hole for seven seconds.
- Exhale for 11 seconds.
- Repeat until you feel calm.
The R.A.I.N method
- Recognize. Assign a label to the thoughts or emotions you are feeling in the moment – for example, “frustration” or “sadness.”
- Allow thoughts and feelings. You don’t have to enjoy all your feelings, and you don’t have to act on them. Acknowledge what you are feeling without suppressing, diminishing, or denying it.
- Investigate. Ask yourself why you’re feeling this way, how it started, and what you can do going forward without judgment.
- Non-identification. Detach your identity from your emotions and let yourself experience them without allowing them to control you. Your emotions do not define who you are as a person, and it is OK to feel a certain way about things.
The F.O.U.L method
- Fact-Check. Try to differentiate between facts and assumptions in a situation. Are you extrapolating from one interaction? How do you know what another person is thinking or feeling? It is important that assumptions do not inform your actions.
- Opposite Urge. If your emotions are in response to assumptions, taking the opposite action may be helpful. For example, if you feel like someone is criticizing you, ask them to elaborate.
- Leave. If emotions run too high, physically remove yourself from the situation. Walk away and allow yourself to calm down.
Emotional dysregulation is related to ADHD. However, this can improve with treatment and management strategies.
Whether you’ve been previously diagnosed with ADHD as a child or not, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional for help if you find yourself overwhelmed with emotions regularly.