ADHD & Emotions

Deficient Emotional Self- Regulation (DESR)

Emotional Dysregulation

Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD)

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DESR is a relatively new term to describe impulsive emotion coupled with emotional self-regulation difficulties

​Being told:

• "Just calm down"

• "You're dramatic"

• "You're a lot"

Behavior patterns:

• Outbursts (usually ones that have regrets)

• Low frustration tolerance

• Impatience 

• Being quick to anger

• Aggression

  • or tantrums​

• Greater emotional excitability

• Decreased ability to self-sooth and down-regulate a strong emotion to reduce its severity

Executive functions connected to our emotions

• Working memory

• Inhibitory controls (impulse)

• Spatial Spanning

• Time management

• Prioritizing

• Emotions inform us

  • Sometimes it is useful and sometimes it is not

• Emotions can feel TOO big

  • But you can handle them

• Emotions will pass

  • You dont need to act on them

Emotionally resilient people do not

• project their feelings

• Blame others for their emotions

• Shame others

Emotionally resilient people do

• • have healthy emotional beliefs and are self-aware

• • take responsibility for their emotions

• • take responsibility for their actions caused by big emotions

• • empower themselves to learn and to grow

• • practice, practice, practice