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Emotional dysregulation is a pervasive and at times paralyzing experience for many people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Despite exclusion from diagnostic criterion, experiences of emotional dysregulation – outsized anger, irritability, shifts in mood, intense feelings, sensitivity, and more – are common and frequently very troubling components of the ADHD experience.
ADHD treatment can dampen the severity of these emotional symptoms to some extent, but standard treatments for ADHD do not restore emotional balance as well as they help with inattention. Therefore, to get the most improvement it is usually necessary to also learn how to build emotional resilience. From practicing coping skills to meeting basic health needs and seeking professional interventions, adults and children with ADHD can deploy various strategies to rein in extreme emotions and achieve greater emotional stability. Here are the most common and effective strategies.