Written by Paige Cox, General Member
As someone who works with youth, one of the things I always help them with is regulating their emotions. I never thought about how emotional regulation is also important to everyone else, not just children. What is Emotional Regulation? Emotional Regulation is “the ability to control one’s emotional state.”(Emotion Regulation | Psychology Today Canada, n.d.) But did you know that emotional regulation and ADHD? “According to research, emotional dysregulation is more often observed in people with ADHD than those without it. Researchers suggest that ADHD is the mental health disorder with the strongest link to it”(Emotion Regulation | Psychology Today Canada, n.d.)
What are some examples of Emotional Regulation?
Experiencing intense emotions, like anger outbursts or high anxiety
Crying in response to a variety of feelings, even happiness
Struggling to take your focus away from your emotions
Having feelings that seem blown out of proportion
Having mood swings and unpredictable emotions
Having a low tolerance for frustrating situations
Being unaware of the feelings of other people
Difficulty soothing and calming yourself
Focusing mainly on the negative
Becoming overly excited
When you look into the resources surrounding ADHD and Emotional Regulation, it is interesting to think that it is a new term and there is not a lot of research surrounding it. When researching, an article looks into the ties between Emotional regulation and ADHD from several factors.
Historical:
When you look at the historical perspectives of Emotional Regulation and ADHD, you see different points within history where individuals were referred to as “characterizes those who have a “lack of attention” as “unwary,” “flighty,” “careless,” mercurial,” and “bacchanal.”(DESR and ADHD: The Overlooked Emotional Component of ADHD, n.d.) When you look at definitions of some of the following mentioned words, bacchanal is defined as “a drunken reveller,” which means “someone who engages in drinking bouts”(Drunken Reveler - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms, n.d.). When I found this, I found it extremely interesting to look at someone who was emotionally dysregulated and automatically referred to as being under the influence.
Neuroattanomy of ADHD:
When you look at the brain and how ADHD and emotional regulation relate to the brain, it is said that “The frontal lobe, the anterior cingulate, the ventral striatum, and the amygdala all comprise the executive circuitry that has been repeatedly shown to be involved in causing ADHD.” (DESR and ADHD: The Overlooked Emotional Component of ADHD, n.d.)What makes these brain areas so important when looking at emotional regulation? It is essential to acknowledge that “Some of these structures also form the brain’s emotional circuitry — the amygdala and the more extensive limbic system to which it is connected, where emotion is generated. The prefrontal cortex and related structures attend to these generated emotions.”(DESR and ADHD: The Overlooked Emotional Component of ADHD, n.d.) When you look at the Neuro Attanomy standpoints of ADHD and emotional regulation, for me, it makes a lot of sense why the two are related.
Neuropsychological theories of ADHD:
When you look at the Neuropsychological theories behind ADHD, it commonly speaks to the “The frontal-limbic circuit…this emotional regulation network is also known as the “hot” circuit…because it’s crucial in decision making.”(DESR and ADHD: The Overlooked Emotional Component of ADHD, n.d.) When I think of myself as someone who lives with ADHD, there are times that I am extremely quick in making decisions and that I react quicker than I may want, and it is because of this frontal limbic circuit being affected by ADHD.
ADHD and psychological research:
When you look at the research, three core components are brought up in emotional dysregulation, as stated on the ADDitude website. The following is stated:
Meta-analysis: Emotional dysregulation is a core feature of ADHD’s psychopathology in adults
Developmental studies on preschool children find that negative temperament, irritability, and poor emotional regulation are strong predictors for ADHD later in life.
Studies on family genetics and ADHD show that the genes implicated in ADHD are also responsible for associated emotional problems.
ADHD comorbidities:
Many conditions are stated as being comorbid with ADHD. Often, what exists along side ADHD? Some of the disorders are as follows:
Oppositional defiant disorder
Anxiety
Conduct disorder
These are all disorders that are mentioned to co-exist with ADHD.
Impairment in major life activities:
Finally, they speak about how emotional regulation can be shown to predict the following events.
social rejection in children with ADHD
Interpersonal Hostility and marital dissatisfaction in adults with ADHD
greater parenting stress and family conflict in parents of children with ADHD; greater stress in parents with ADHD
road rage, DUIs, and crash risks during driving
job dismissals and workplace interpersonal problems
dating/cohabiting relationship conflict
impulse buying; poor finances
It is really interesting to think about different things that happen in someone's life and how ADHD can be a predictor for them. This is so interesting because things that we maybe could have attributed to something else could be ADHD.
References:
ADHD in Adults: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved May 25, 2024, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5197-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-in-adults
Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—Diagnosis and treatment—Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved May 25, 2024, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-adhd/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350883
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: What You Need to Know - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2024, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd-what-you-need-to-know
Attoe, D. E., & Climie, E. A. (2023). Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(7), 645–657. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547231161533
DESR and ADHD: The Overlooked Emotional Component of ADHD. (n.d.). Retrieved May 31, 2024, from https://www.additudemag.com/desr-adhd-emotional-regulation/
Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words. (2024, May 31). Dictionary.Com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bacchanal
Drunken reveler—Definition, Meaning & Synonyms. (n.d.). Vocabulary.Com. Retrieved May 31, 2024, from https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/drunken%20reveler
Emotion Regulation | Psychology Today Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2024, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/emotion-regulation
Quinn, P. O., & Madhoo, M. (2014). A Review of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Women and Girls: Uncovering This Hidden Diagnosis. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 16(3), PCC.13r01596. https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.13r01596
Why ADHD Is Often Underdiagnosed In Women. (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://www.henryford.com/blog/2023/09/why-adhd-is-often-underdiagnosed-in-women