Emotional dysregulation refers to the inability to effectively manage one’s emotions and reactions. This condition can result in a sense of feeling overwhelmed and lacking control. Emotional dysregulation goes beyond simply experiencing emotions intensely; it involves notable difficulties in regulating emotions in a healthy manner.
Individuals experiencing emotional dysregulation may exhibit disproportionate reactions to minor stressors, experience frequent mood swings, engage in impulsive or risky behaviors, and struggle to maintain relationships due to emotional outbursts.
Several factors can contribute to the development of emotional dysregulation.
Brain chemistry undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in predisposing individuals, as certain neurochemical imbalances may impair emotional processing abilities. Additionally, past trauma or abuse can significantly impact one’s capacity to regulate emotions.
Growing up in environments where emotions were mishandled or invalidated can also result in the acquisition of maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Certain clinical disorders, such as borderline personality disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, have also been linked to difficulties with emotional regulation.
A variety of biological and environmental factors may predispose individuals or contribute to emotional dysregulation disorder, which can negatively impact relationships and decision-making if left unaddressed. Continued research on the causes and treatments of emotional dysregulation aims to improve outcomes for those affected.
Signs of Emotional Dysregulation in Children
In children, frequent temper tantrums beyond typical developmental stages, difficulty calming down after becoming upset, and extreme reactions to minor issues are common signs of emotional dysregulation. Children with this condition may also face challenges in social settings or academic environments due to their emotional volatility. Their emotions can escalate quickly, and it is difficult for them to regain emotional control once upset. This type of dysregulation can interfere with their relationships with parents/caregivers and peers.
Signs of Emotional Dysregulation in Adults
In adults, emotional dysregulation often presents as unpredictable mood swings, difficulty controlling anger or frustration, and impulsive behaviors like overspending or binge eating. Adults with this condition may struggle to maintain healthy relationships due to their emotional instability. Their emotions may fluctuate rapidly and intensely, making them react strongly and without consideration for consequences. This can strain personal and professional relationships.
Daily Life Impact of Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation significantly disrupts daily activities and functioning for both children and adults. It can be difficult to concentrate at work or school and enjoy leisure time when emotions are not regulated. The constant state of heightened emotional alertness associated with this condition can be exhausting and impair the daily functions of an individual. Managing intense and unpredictable emotions requires substantial cognitive and emotional resources, leaving little reserve for other tasks. This impacts quality of life and long-term success and well-being.
Mental Health Disorders Related to Emotional Dysregulation
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening traumatic event. It is often characterized by severe emotional dysregulation. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, uncontrollable negative thoughts, dissociation, and emotional numbing.
Borderline personality disorder affects the way individuals think and feel about themselves and others, causing problems with functioning in everyday life. It includes issues with self-image, difficulty managing emotions and behavior, and a pattern of unstable relationships. Those with borderline personality disorder often experience emotional dysregulation and have greater emotional sensitivity, emotional reactivity, and difficulty returning to a baseline emotional level that feels stable.
Frontal lobe disorders can occur when the brain’s frontal lobes are damaged, usually due to injury. This can cause emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, lack of impulse control, attention deficit disorder, impaired decision-making, and lack of motivation. Typically, frontal lobe disorders result from explosive violence, often experienced during combat in war zones. However, they can also be experienced by individuals who have a brain infection, cancer, stroke, or a neurodegenerative disease.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that causes repeated unwanted thoughts, obsessions, or the urge to do something over and over again. This disruption of the thinking (prefrontal) part of the brain can cause significant emotional dysregulation.
Benefits of Regular Mindfulness Practice for Emotional Dysregulation Disorder
Taking time each day for mindfulness can help increase self-awareness of emotions and improve emotional regulation. We recommend setting aside 5-10 minutes daily to dedicate to mindfulness exercises focused on conscious breathing and non-judgmentally acknowledging thoughts and feelings as they arise in the mind. Mindfulness cultivates awareness that allows for greater insight into emotional states and their causes, facilitating healthier responses.
When intense emotions emerge, pausing to take several deep breaths before reacting can give the prefrontal cortex time to engage higher reasoning and prevent impulsive actions driven by reactivity alone. Simply counting slowly to ten during deep inhalations and exhalations creates space between feeling and behavior, allowing for wiser decision making.
Regular physical exercise has been shown to release endorphins in the body, positively impacting mood and emotional control. Activities involving cardiovascular exertion like brisk walking, dancing, or other aerobic workouts can effectively manage feelings that may otherwise seem overwhelming. Moving the body promotes emotional well-being.
Connecting with trusted friends or family members can provide emotional relief during challenging times. Sharing feelings with a supportive listener can reduce stress levels and offer fresh perspectives on handling emotions, strengthening coping skills through community. Interpersonal bonds nurture mental health.
Building Self-Regulation Skills: A Gradual Approach
Mastering self-regulation is a process that develops over time through consistent effort. Individuals seeking to improve their ability to manage stressful emotions and situations are best served by starting small and building up gradually.
First Step is Simple: Deep Breathing Techniques
One simple first step is taking three deep breaths when feeling overwhelmed or distressed. Deep breathing is a proven technique for physiological and psychological relaxation. By starting with just a few deep breaths during moments of elevated stress or anxiety, one can begin to incorporate breathing as a self-soothing mechanism. With regular practice over weeks and months, an individual’s ability to consciously control their breathing and calm their nervous system will improve.
It is also important to integrate self-regulation techniques into everyday life. For example, someone could take deep breaths while stuck in traffic or during a frustrating call at work. Integrating techniques into routine daily activities and situations helps build resilience for when stress levels are highest. Just as fire drills prepare organizations for emergencies, regular “practice” with self-regulation in more minor stressful events prepares the body and mind.
Another key component of successfully developing self-regulation skills is acknowledging and celebrating small wins. Recognizing when deep breathing or other techniques helped reduce feelings of distress, even just a little, boosts confidence and positively reinforces continued effort. Celebrating victories, however minor, helps motivate ongoing progress.
Finally, setbacks will likely occur and should be viewed as part of the learning process, not failure. Analyzing what led to losing emotional control and planning alternative coping strategies can help improve response for similar future situations. Every effort, even if not entirely successful, moves the needle forward a bit in building lifelong self-regulation abilities.
Emotional Dysregulation ADHD
More and more teenagers and adults are sharing their experiences living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on social media. A common theme among these posts is the idea that people with ADHD experience emotions more intensely than others. Research shows these intense feelings are a real aspect of ADHD rather than just an online phenomenon.
“Over the last 15 years, we’ve come to recognize that emotion dysregulation is a core component of ADHD,” said Dr. Paul Rosen, a clinical psychologist and ADHD researcher at Norton Children’s Behavioral and Mental Health, affiliated with the University of Louisville School of Medicine. ADHD is diagnosed as one of three subtypes: primarily hyperactive/impulsive, primarily inattentive, and a combined type. Studies suggest emotion dysregulation is present in all three subtypes, though those with the combined type appear to be at greatest risk for emotional symptoms. “Not all people with ADHD have this difficulty, but it’s very common,” Rosen added.
There is growing acknowledgement of the emotional challenges often associated with an ADHD diagnosis, in both adults and children. In Europe, an updated 2019 consensus statement from the European Psychiatric Association listed emotion dysregulation as one of six fundamental features of ADHD in adults. In the United States, however, ADHD is still defined by its core characteristics of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Though the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) notes emotion dysregulation as a supporting feature for an ADHD diagnosis, the emotional symptoms are still not always recognized by clinicians or researchers, according to Dr. Sarah Karalunas, a professor of psychology at Purdue University. “Awareness is increasing but emotional dysregulation remains overlooked,” she said.
Emotion dysregulation in ADHD can lead to troubling outcomes. During COVID-19 lockdowns, average rates of depression, anxiety, inattention, and defiance increased in all adolescents but continued long-term for youth with any ADHD subtype who also had poor emotion regulation.
“Emotion dysregulation in ADHD broadly impacts many areas of life,” said Elizabeth Bodalski, a fifth-year doctoral student in clinical community psychology at the University of South Carolina studying emotion regulation difficulties associated with ADHD. Her research found emotional challenges help explain depressive symptoms and relationship impairments in adults with ADHD and may also contribute to anxiety, low friendship quality, and greater overall impairments.
FAQs on Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation is characterized by intense and persistent mood swings, difficulty calming down when upset, and feeling controlled by emotions rather than controlling them.
Emotional dysregulation is more severe and persistent than typical moodiness. It involves significant difficulty managing emotions in everyday situations.
Treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are effective. Medication may also be recommended in some cases.
Provide patient and non-judgmental support. Encourage professional help and practice self-care to maintain your well-being while supporting others.
