As the name implies, emotional dysregulation is the inability or difficulty controlling one’s emotions. It often causes an emotional reaction outside the conventionally recognised range of responses, like failing to control impulsive behaviour and having outbursts over trivial matters.
Emotional dysregulation is not always indicative of a mental health issue. Still, it can be a symptom of several conditions, including early childhood trauma, ADHD, and alcohol and drug use disorders. Regardless of the underlying reason, emotional dysregulation may impact day-to-day activities, especially interpersonal relationships.
Usually, mild symptoms are treatable with preparation and self-help techniques. Some, however, may require professional intervention for safe and effective treatment. This article provides a few examples from each perspective to help you distinguish between conditions that can be managed and those that require emergency medical attention.
Manageable Symptoms/Cases
Here are some manageable symptoms of emotional dysregulation that you can address through self-help techniques and lifestyle adjustments.
Occasional Mood Swings
This emotional dysregulation symptom manifests as sporadically occurring mood fluctuations. The displayed emotions are also not intense; they range from being unusually energetic or happy to suddenly becoming irritable or slightly down, or vice versa.
The mood changes are not severe and frequent enough to significantly interfere with your loved one’s daily life, work, or relationship. They can be resolved on their own, but positive actions like maintaining a healthy sleep pattern and regularly exercising can help accelerate their treatment.
Minor Emotional Outbursts
Minor emotional outbursts are brief but intense expressions of emotions, often as a response to minor stressors. For instance, your loved one may suddenly have short bouts of anger or frustration over a small issue like a brief delay in plans.
Outbursts like these are usually short-lived and, unless extremely poorly timed, don’t result in long-term or severe consequences in personal or professional relationships. Coping techniques like breathing exercises or taking a timeout to discuss feelings openly can be used to manage this symptom effectively.
Low Distress Tolerance
Low distress tolerance means a reduced capacity for handling everyday triggers or stressors, such as a challenging task at work or getting stuck in traffic. While the frustration visibly shows and may even turn into venting, it usually doesn’t cause a major disruption to your loved one’s life.
Stress-management techniques and practising mindfulness can help improve one’s frustration tolerance. You can also ask them to set realistic goals because too much expectation can lead to this situation. In addition, patience-building activities like gardening might help.
Getting Easily Overwhelmed
This emotional dysregulation symptom involves getting overwhelmed by life’s demands, usually during stressful periods. For instance, when a deadline is imminent, your loved one may stop their work instead of rushing to finish because they are swallowed by dread.
The feeling of being overwhelmed usually ends when the stressful situation also subsides. Organising tasks and turning them into manageable chunks are good techniques to avoid this symptom, especially if work is its major cause. Relaxation methods like yoga can help alleviate stress. Seeking help from others during this stressful time is also useful.
Symptoms/Cases Needing Professional Help
Here are some more intense emotional dysregulation symptoms that necessitate prompt professional intervention.
Frequent Emotional Outbursts
These are recurring and intense episodes of strong emotions, like anger and frustration, in response to minor emotional stimuli. The constant failure to modulate emotional responses leads to an explosive reaction disproportionate to the trigger. For instance, a trivial disagreement with someone ends in a heated discussion with shouting or crying.
Such frequent and unpredictable outbursts can significantly impact your loved one’s quality of life, personally or professionally. Expert assistance may be needed to identify the triggers and develop coping mechanisms to control these strong reactions better.
Severe Mood Instability
These are mood swings that are so frequent and intense that they can severely affect your loved one’s relationship and daily activities. The swings can also go into extreme opposites really quickly, e.g., from euphoria to depression and vice versa. This makes the experience unpredictable.
Difficulty in maintaining mood can interfere with your loved one’s overall quality of life and may even cause them to engage in risky behaviours. As such, professional help may be necessary. A psychiatrist or therapist can help them gain better emotional control and explore medications that can stabilise their mood.
Intense and Persistent Anxiety
Prolonged and excessive worries and fears can significantly impact your loved one’s daily functioning and well-being. It’s a level of anxiety that’s difficult to control and goes way beyond the typical stress responses, which can lead to chronic distress about future events even if there’s no immediate threat present. It can also manifest physically in the form of sweating and trembling, as well as muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, and gastrointestinal issues.
You may have to enrol your loved one in programs like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to address their intense and persistent anxiety effectively. Antidepressants and other anti-anxiety medications may also be needed, but only get them as prescribed by medical professionals.
Self-Harm or Suicidal Thoughts
Experiencing thoughts about ending one’s life or engaging in self-harm is a severe emotional dysregulation symptom that needs urgent attention. Your loved ones may deliberately injure themselves as a maladaptive coping mechanism for overwhelming negative emotions like pain or distress.
You should watch out for any signs related to hopelessness, worthlessness, or unbearable pain since they can cause the development of suicidal thoughts, even if there’s no specific plan. One study showed a positive relationship between emotional dysregulation and suicide ideation and behaviour. So don’t disregard even if the suicidal talks are fleeting or not detailed.
Contact crisis hotlines immediately if you suspect or discover your loved one is experiencing this symptom. Mental health professionals like psychiatrists can help address the underlying cause of self-harm or suicidal thoughts and develop effective coping strategies. Also, build or have them join a support network of trusted individuals like close friends and families.
Professional Emotional Dysregulation Treatment at HARP
Never underestimate any signs of emotional dysregulation in a loved one, particularly if it is severe and persistent. Learn self-care techniques you can pass on to help them get better. If you’re unsure if professional guidance is necessary, prioritise their well-being and seek help. Sometimes, even mild symptoms can be associated with deeper-rooted issues; case in point, low distress tolerance may be related to alcohol use disorder.
If the cause of your loved one’s emotional dysregulation is related to addiction, try looking into Hills & Ranges Private (HARP) programs. Our holistic addiction treatment combines clinical and therapeutical approaches to help our clients achieve long-lasting sobriety while dealing with all the related symptoms, including emotional dysregulation.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Book a confidential Call.
