Millions of children, adolescents, and adults throughout the world are affected by emotional dysregulation. What does it look like, who is at risk, and how can it be treated?
What Is Emotional Dysregulation?
Emotional dysregulation is a clinical term that refers to an inability to manage your emotions or take charge of your impulsive behaviors. It is not a mental illness, though it can be a symptom of several mental health disorders.
Someone who struggles with emotion dysregulation may feel powerless to either limit the intensity of their feelings or control how they express them.
Signs of emotional dysregulation often begin to appear during childhood or adolescence, but many adults also struggle with this problem.
What Does Emotional Dysregulation Look Like?
There is no standard, universally agreed-upon set of criteria for what does or doesn’t constitute emotional dysregulation. This means that one person’s experience can vary substantially from the behaviors exhibited by someone else.
Having established that, here are a few examples of what emotional dysregulation can look like:
- Sudden, unpredictable outbursts of anger and/or aggression (which are commonly labeled as “temper tantrums” when exhibited by children)
- Dramatic mood swings, such as rapidly shifting from joy to despair or rage with little to no warning or obvious trigger
- Impulsively engaging in potentially dangerous behaviors, such as unsafe sex, substance abuse, and reckless driving
- Frequent conflicts with others, which can range from verbal arguments to physical fights, and may include incidents such as “road rage”
- Intense, exaggerated crying spells
- Damaging possessions or property, such as punching holes in walls or breaking personal belongings when angered
- Self-harming behaviors, which can including cutting or burning your skin, punching yourself, pulling out your hair, hitting your head against walls or other hard objects, or exercising past the point of exhaustion
- Disordered eating, which can include attempting to punish yourself by restricting your food intake or responding to stress with binge-eating episodes
When Does Emotional Dysregulation Become a Problem?
Virtually everyone experiences strong sentiments from time to time, and it’s not uncommon to have moments where you lose your cool or act in an unacceptable manner due to heightened emotions.
So how can you determine when you’ve crossed the line that separates “understandable” passion from emotional dysregulation? Here are a few signs that you may need help:
- You frequently find yourself in arguments with friends, family members, and even strangers.
- You have lost friendships or romantic relationships due to your lack of emotional control.
- Your inability to manage your emotions and behaviors has caused problems in school or at work.
- Your tendency to overreact has caused peers and colleagues to avoid associating with you.
- Your emotions often result in physical outbursts, such as fights or property damage.
- You often feel shame or guilt in the aftermath of emotional outbursts or impulsive behaviors.
- Someone close to you suggests that you have a problem.
How Common Is Emotional Dysregulation?
It’s difficult to determine exactly how many people have struggled with emotional dysregulation, but it is safe to say that this phenomenon is far from rare, especially among specific populations. For example:
- Research indicates that 25%-45% of children and 30%-70% of adults who have ADHD exhibit signs of emotional dysregulation.
- Studies have found that the rate of emotional dysregulation among children with autism spectrum disorder may range from 53%-82%.
- Emotional dysregulation is present in an estimated 26%-30.5% of young people who receive mental health treatment.
- A study from England determined that 13.9% of adults were affected by emotional dysregulation.
Causes & Symptoms
The likelihood that a person will struggle with emotional dysregulation can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including exposure to trauma, mental illness, and medical problems.
What Are the Most Common Causes Of Emotional Dysregulation?
An inability to effectively control your emotions can be a characteristic of many mental health disorders, including:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Mood disorders (anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder)
- Conduct disorder
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD)
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders
- Personality disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Gambling disorder
- Substance use disorders (addictions)
Emotional dysregulation may also a symptom of medical concerns such as:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Encephalitis and other infections
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Dementia
- Brain tumor
- Adverse effects of some prescription medications
Emotional Dysregulation Symptoms
A previous section addressed what it can look like when someone else struggles with emotional dysregulation. This section focuses on what it can feel like when you’re the person who has the problem. Common symptoms emotional dysregulation include:
- Becoming easily angered, frustrated, or saddened
- Frequently feeling annoyed or irritated
- Responding when upset without considering the effects of your actions
- Being unable to stop once you feel yourself being “swept away” by powerful emotions
- Experiencing shame or guilt in the aftermath of emotional outbursts
- Having thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Wanting to change, trying to change, but being unable to do so
Can Emotional Dysregulation Be Prevented?
A person’s risk of struggling with emotional dysregulation may be reduced by preventative factors such as:
- Being raised in a stable and supportive household
- Developing healthy anger management, conflict resolution, and problem solving skills
- Receiving timely treatment when exhibiting signs of certain medical or mental health concerns
- Not being exposed to abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences
- Refraining from abusing alcohol or other mind-altering substances
- Taking prescription medications only as directed by a qualified physician
- Avoiding concussions and other forms of head trauma
Once a person begins to exhibit signs of emotional dysregulation, there are a range of treatment options that can help them regain control of their feelings and behaviors. Depending a variety of individual factors, effective care for emotional dysregulation may include:
- Antidepressants, anxiolytics, or other prescription medications
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
- Holistic practices such as yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, and meditation
- Education about nutrition, exercise, and self-care
Remember: Emotional dysregulation is a symptom, not a disorder. Thus, for treatment to be truly effective, it must identify and address the underlying cause or causes.
Contact Montare Behavioral Health to Treat Emotional Dysregulation
The Montare Behavioral Health network is a trusted source of comprehensive, personalized care for adults whose lives have been disrupted by emotional dysregulation and other mental or behavioral health concerns.
Treatment options and our mental health centers in Southern California and Arizona include residential care, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programming, and outpatient services. In each of these programs, you can expect to receive customized treatment and compassionate support from a team of highly skilled professionals. To learn more about how Montare Behavioral Health can help you or a loved one, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 4/14/2025
