Emotional Dysregulation and how to Overcome it - Dr. Sangeetha Madhu, Aayesha Bano and Neha Vishwakarma

Emotional dysregulation happens when an individual has intense emotional response immediately after a situation or a trigger, which does not fall under the normal range of emotional reactions. When situation like this occurs, one might feel that they are not in control of their emotions, and might find recognizing their emotions difficult and feel confused, guilty, or stressed about their behavior.

Some common experiences when a person feels dysregulated are:

·         Feeling spaced out, unable to remember where they are, and also at loss of words.

·         Unable to work properly, trying to get things done at once, but unable to finish anything.

·         Tripping over things, dropping things or even losing things because they are unable to pay attention or concentrate.

·         Having flat voice and facial expressions.

·         Frequent, and uncontrollable mood swings.

·         Feeling at rage, frustrated and anxious.

·         Feeling numb in parts of the body, like hands, mouth, face, nose or feet.

What to do to regulate our emotions well?

·         Taking a pause and focusing on your breathing to calm down.

·         Engaging in some physical movement – shaking and wiggling the body, running, skipping, short exercises.

·         Avoiding driving, making decisions or even having discussions with others until you feel better regulated. 

·         Having a nutritious diet and sleep routine.

·         Inculcating mindfulness and exercising on a daily basis.

·         Having awareness of one’s own emotions and physical self.

It is important to remember that though these strategies can help, there might be instances that they will not be enough to manage the extent of dysregulation. In those situations, it is better to consult a psychologist or a counsellor to discuss our issues and emotions and seek help from a professional who can help in these situations.

 References

Davis, T. (2021, August 23). What Is Emotional Dysregulation? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-here-happiness/202108/what-is-emotional-dysregulation

Runkle, A. (2018, October 30). How to Know if Your Brain Is Dysregulated, and What to Do About It. PACEsConnection. https://www.pacesconnection.com/blog/how-to-know-if-your-brain-is-dysregulated-and-what-to-do-about-it

Sherrell, Z. M. (2022, April 7). What is emotional dysregulation? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dysregulation#causes

WebMD. (2021, April 18). What Is Emotional Dysregulation? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-emotional-dysregulation#:%7E:text=Emotional%20dysregulation%20is%20a%20term,mood%20swings%2C%20or%20labile%20mood.