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Emotional Dysregulation: What It Is, Causes & How to Manage It
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Your emotions seem overpowering, uncontrollable or moving too fast for you each time you get them. Sometimes you end up doing things you don't like or simply get drowned in feelings while others around you seem handling them easily. If you identified yourself with the above, it means one of your problems is, emotional dysregulation- a pattern almost hidden until now and has a very good response to proper support.
What Is Emotional Dysregulation?
Emotional dysregulation means being unable to control the level, length, or way of showing emotions in line with a situation. It is not a separate illness, but a symptom present in a number of mental health issues — including borderline personality disorder (BPD), ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), PTSD, and depression.
A huge cross-country research published in PMC (2022), involving 9,238 adults from 10 countries, revealed that about 9 out of every 100 adults display emotional dysregulation that is clinically significant. Depending on the country, the figure of those affected ranged from 6 to 13 in 100, therefore it is one of the most common yet least recognized psychological patterns in adults.
Emotional dysregulation in adults can manifest differently from what is commonly associated with it. It's not necessarily an outburst of anger. NAC, for example, might be emotionally numb, quickly ashamed even for small things, have rapid mood swings, find it difficult to recover after a disagreement, or feel constantly tense.
Common Signs of Emotional Dysregulation
Knowing the symptoms is the first step in asking for the appropriate assistance. The typical behaviors are:
|
Sign |
What it looks like |
|
Emotional flooding |
Feelings that come on fast and feel impossible to control |
|
Slow recovery |
Taking much longer than expected to calm down after an upset |
|
Disproportionate reactions |
Responding with high intensity to minor triggers |
|
Emotional avoidance |
Shutting down or going numb to block out difficult feelings |
|
Impulsive behavior |
Acting before thinking in response to emotional pain |
|
Relationship conflict |
Frequent friction driven by misread emotional cues |
Emotional Dysregulation in ADHD
Emotional dysregulation in ADHD is one of the most impactful yet overlooked features of the disorder. One meta-analysis published in PMC reported that adults with ADHD had substantially higher levels of emotional dysregulation compared to neurotypical controls, with an effect size of Hedges' g = 1.17, which is a large and very robust difference.
For individuals with ADHD, emotional dysregulation may manifest in various ways such as strong feelings of anger or excitement, getting easily irritated, and quickly bouncing back emotionally — which is one of the reasons why this phenomenon has been described by some researchers as "emotions that hit hard and fast, then pass just as quickly." A systematic review published in PLOS ONE (2023) also backed up the idea that emotional dysregulation is indeed a fundamental characteristic of adult ADHD, not merely a co-occurring disorder.
Emotional Dysregulation in Autism
Emotional dysregulation in the context of autism is very thoroughly described also. Autism spectrum individuals frequently suffer from increased sensory sensitivity, problems with understanding emotional signals, and a scarcity of emotional words that can lead to a better handling and expression of their emotions. This mix of factors results in making emotional regulation quite challenging, not due to a lack of emotional complexity, but because emotional regulation skills that are usually quite easy to use, are less readily available.
Based on a systematic literature review published in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022), besides ADHD and mood disorders, emotional dysregulation is present in manifestations of ASD and PTSD and it is considered a transdiagnostic dimension, which means that it is a feature that is common to all of these conditions and not a symptom that is exclusive to any one of them.
Emotional Regulation Skills That Help
Regulating one's emotions is a craft that can be honed - like other crafts, it's deeply connected to ongoing practice. Here are some effective emotional regulation techniques that clinical research supports:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) methods
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment approach tailored for folks with very strong emotional reactions, breaks down learning into four types of skills: being psychologically present, ways to endure a crisis without making it worse, managing and changing intense emotions that are causing problems, and getting along with others.
It is by far the most thoroughly evidenced treatment for emotional dysregulation, especially in borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients.
Cognitive reappraisal
This technique requires one to change the way one thinks about an emotionally charged event. Consistent findings across studies indicate that this method lowers the level of negativity of emotions while still allowing for the expression of emotions rather than suppression.
Paced breathing
Deep, measured breaths can engage the parasympathetic system of your nerves - the part of the nervous system which induces the "rest and digest" phenomenon. A quick series of just four deep breaths can significantly lessen an emotional ramp-up even within the first minutes.
Naming the emotion
Experiments by UCLA neuroscientist Dr. Matthew Lieberman showed that assigning a name to the feeling - "I am mad" instead of showing it - quiets the amygdala (brain's detector for possible threats) and stimulates the prefrontal cortex which governs behavior. The procedure is often called "affect labeling".
Reducing physiological triggers
Hunger, lack of sleep, and alcohol all are factors that decrease the level at which you can handle emotions. Tackling these systematically leads to a more firm internal state.
Feeling lost about the best way to go about it or that some symptoms may indicate a particular disorder?
August AI - an AI health assistant who scored 100% on medical licensing exams - will help you create an understanding of your situation and be more prepared to ask the right questions in front of the doctor.
When to Seek Professional Support
Emotional dysregulation is a clinical issue when it regularly interferes with your family, work, or your sense of identity. Good treatments are:
-
DBT: This is the best treatment for BPD and long-term emotional dysregulation
-
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): It assists in recognizing and modifying thought patterns that increase emotional responses
-
Medication: For those whose dysregulation is tied to ADHD or mood disorders, medication can downscale the emotional intensity from a neurological perspective, it will not get rid of emotions, but will make them less overwhelming
-
Trauma-informed therapy: When dysregulation originates from childhood trauma, therapies like EMDR or somatic therapy may directly help the root cause
Key Takeaways
Emotional dysregulation shouldn't be mistaken as a personality defect or a demonstration of weakness. In fact, it is a scientifically validated, well-researched, psychological phenomenon that is estimated to impact 9 out of 100 adults worldwide - and it is possible to get help for it.
Regardless of whether your emotional dysregulation arises from ADHD, autism, a traumatic experience, or a single diagnosis, effective emotional regulation techniques and seeking professional help can bring about effective, long-term transformation.
If you are considering a talk with a professional and wish to be more aware of your symptoms, August will clarify your experiences and guide you in preparation for your consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ emotional dysregulation a mental illness?
Is‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ emotional dysregulation a mental illness?
No, it is something like a symptom pattern rather than a diagnosis on its own. It is recognizable in many disorders - ADHD, BPD, ASD, PTSD, depression - and sometimes it happens without even a diagnosis.
Can emotional dysregulation be treated?
Can emotional dysregulation be treated?
Definitely. There are a lot of studies supporting DBT, CBT, mindfulness based methods and medication if needed. Which one is best for you depends on the root of your problem and your personal situation.
What does emotional dysregulation feel like?
What does emotional dysregulation feel like?
Generally, it is described as emotions hitting you with great force, very quickly and they stay for a much longer time than one thinks they should. It takes a lot longer than usual to get over the upset and one often finds the level of emotion almost uncontrollable at that time.
Is emotional dysregulation the same as being sensitive?
Is emotional dysregulation the same as being sensitive?
In a way, no. Being emotionally sensitive means you are experiencing emotions very deeply - which is okay by itself. Dysregulation means that your emotional reactions are not in line with the situation and you are also not able to control them which lead to the disruption of functioning on a daily basis.
Does emotional dysregulation get worse with age?
Does emotional dysregulation get worse with age?
Age does not have to be a factor. If one does not get help, the old ways of behavior can become stronger. People, who get good guidance and therapy usually experience quite a change irrespective of age.
Can children have emotional dysregulation?
Can children have emotional dysregulation?
They sure can. It is one of the symptoms of the rising condition and the child may express it with a tantrum, meltdown, or very raw feelings. The best results come with early help and the right kind of support.
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