As mental health providers, we frequently discover that the root cause of our clients' difficulties is emotional dysregulation.
Many people experience a sense of helplessness and hopelessness as a result of their emotions' ups and downs.
Fortunately, with appropriate instruction, training, and practice, dysregulation can often be addressed with time.
Understanding Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation has gained popularity as a lens through which to view a wide range of mental health conditions in recent years.
"Patterns of emotional experience or expression that interfere with goal-directed activity" is the simple definition given by Thompson (2019, p. 805).
Put more accurately, dysregulation results in a considerable deviation from baseline in an individual's functioning (Bunford et al., 2015).
Everyone experiences dysregulation from time to time, but some people suffer to the point where it affects how they operate as a whole.
Signs, Symptoms & Causes of Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional expression and experiencing maladaptive patterns can take many different shapes.
People can occasionally have strong feelings and emotional reactions, expressing them in ways that could be disruptive or socially inappropriate (Paulus et al., 2021).
In other situations, people may retreat, repress, or ignore their emotions in response to dysregulation.
According to Paulus et al. (2021), some signs and instances of emotional dysregulation are as follows:
- Mood swings
- Becoming easily frustrated or irritated
- Having difficulty managing emotions, particularly negative ones
- Impulsivity
- Self-harm
- Severe depression and/or anxiety
Again, not every person experiencing dysregulation will exhibit the same range of symptoms.
Similarly, a variety of variables can lead to emotional dysregulation (Paulus et al., 2021). For a given person, the underlying cause might not always be obvious.
Among the potential reasons to think about are (Paulus et al., 2021):
- Genetic factors.
- Early childhood trauma, including abuse, neglect, or life-altering experiences.
- Chronic invalidation of emotions.
- Poor modeling of emotion regulation by caregivers.
- Traumatic brain injury.
3 conditions associated with Mood Dysregulation
The inability to control emotions is a hallmark of the following disorders:
1. Personality disorders borderline
One of the key components of borderline personality disorder (BPD), a severe and complicated condition marked by instability in several areas, is dysregulation (Chapman, 2019).Actually, groundbreaking work with individuals who had BPD led to a large body of research and contemporary, efficacious therapies (like dialectical behaviour therapy, or DBT) for dysregulation.
2. Complex PTSD and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Although a high correlation between trauma and emotional dysregulation has been demonstrated by studies, the precise nature of this association remains unclear (Conti et al., 2023).
We are aware that people who have experienced trauma, especially in their early years of life, exhibit signs of emotional dysregulation. Nevertheless, studies also suggest that those who have trouble controlling their emotions are more likely to get PTSD (Conti et al., 2023).
3. Bipolar Disorder
According to Ayık et al. (2023), bipolar disorder is typified by dysregulated mood, with mania/hypomania and depression alternating. Bipolar disorder is largely defined and characterized by an inability to regulate one's emotions, however it is accompanied by other symptoms as well. Extreme mood states may result from this sequence.
3 Techniques to Improve Emotional Regulation
These fundamental techniques should be viewed as the cornerstone for improving emotional regulation, even if the list is by no means complete.
1. Emotional consciousness: Recognising and classifying feelings
Increasing emotional awareness and comprehension is the first step towards managing emotions. A lot of folks were never instructed in this method. Language helps humans make sense of their experiences, both internal and external. Emotions become more conscious as people learn to identify, categorise, and observe the effects of their feelings. Instead of allowing emotions to dictate behavior, this guarantees control over emotions and how to channel them.
The Emotion Wheel is a useful tool to assist with this exercise. This tool can help your client become more adept at identifying the minute differences between emotions.
2. Reducing emotional susceptibility: Taking good care of your body
The physical condition of an individual is a factor that is sometimes disregarded while discussing emotional dysregulation. And someone with fatigue, hunger, or illness is not as good at controlling their emotions.
Make careful to focus on proper nutrition, frequent exercise, and rest to maximize resilience. Additionally, abstaining from chemicals that affect mood, such as alcohol and coffee, will support mental and physical well-being.
The PLEASE abbreviation is used in dialectical behavior therapy to remind clients to take care of their bodies:
PL – Treat physical illness
E – Eat healthily
A – Avoid mood-altering drugs
S – Sleep well
E – Exercise
3. When handling strong emotions, use STOPP.
STOPP is a well-liked and practical technique that is taught to those who have trouble managing their emotions (GetSelfHelp, n.d.). It assists clients in pausing mindfully when experiencing an intense emotional moment.
For this method to work well, people should preferably practice it in low emotional arousal conditions so they can become skilled at using it when the chips are down.
STOPP is a shorthand for:
S – Stop!
Just pause for a moment.
T – Take a breath
Notice your breathing as you breathe in and out.
O – Observe
What thoughts are going through your mind right now?
Where is your focus of attention?
P – Pull back – Put in some perspective
What’s the bigger picture?
What is another way of looking at this situation?
P – Practice what works – Proceed
What is the best thing to do right now? For me? For others? For the situation?
What can I do that fits with my values?