ADHD, Emotional Dysregulation and Mindfulness

ADHD and emotional dysregulation often go hand in hand. Frustrations with ourselves, tasks we need to complete, a co-worker, friend or family member can escalate when we don’t have tools to manage our emotions and downshift to a calmer more mindful perspective.

“Emotional dysregulation refers to difficulty in controlling and regulating emotions. ADHD triggers can be internal or external and may lead to intense or unpredictable emotions that seem blown out of proportion and even snowball into a complete meltdown”. (ADDA Library).

To get you started on a mindful path to emotional regulation, here are a few tried and true resources that you might find helpful. And, when those frustrations get in the way, remember to BREATHE.

1. ADHD and Emotion Regulation: Simple Strategies That Bring Calm (5-minute video)
2. Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment and Your Life Paperback by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD
3. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD
4. Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
5. The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive by Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer