Written by: Daniel Van der Pluym, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience difficulty regulating their emotions. This can lead to problems in many areas of life, including school, work, and relationships. Executive functioning skills are essential for emotion regulation, and people with ADHD tend to struggle with these skills. In this article, we will discuss the relationship between emotion regulation and executive functioning for people with ADHD. We will also provide tools and strategies to help people with ADHD to better regulate their emotions and improve engagement in goal-directed behaviors.
The challenges in dealing with negative emotions in ADHD
People with ADHD can commonly be misdiagnosed as having a borderline personality disorder (BPD). There are several reasons for this, attributed to emotional dysregulation which is usually associated with BPD. For people with ADHD, difficulties with self-control also extend to challenges with emotional control and being unable to manage difficult emotions. These challenges often result in strong emotional outbursts.
A 2014 review of research undertaken by Wolfgang Retz and colleagues, found that difficulty with emotional control and regulation is commonly related to the inability to engage in executive functioning for people with ADHD. Further, the review also attributed emotion dysregulation to a range of difficulties across different life areas, including interpersonal relationships.
What is meant by executive functioning?
Executive functions are the skills necessary to manage behavior, attention, planning, and problem-solving. They are often referred to as "the CEO" of the brain. People with ADHD commonly struggle with executive functioning skills due to a range of factors, including difficulty with inhibition and attention.
The comprehensive executive function inventory
The comprehensive executive function inventory is a scale that measures executive function strengths and weaknesses. It is used to determine executive function ability and is comprised of 9 categories related to specific areas often associated with ADHD. The inventory is normally administered to children and adolescents and has a specific category to measure emotion regulation ability. This can be used to determine the degree of difficulty with executive functioning, which also indicates the level of emotion dysregulation.
Signs of executive function difficulties
One of the major signs of executive function difficulties is poor decision-making, difficulty being able to follow directions, and inability to engage in goal-directed behavior. There are often signs of this in early childhood, as people with ADHD have differences in brain development that impact attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. The inability to exert control over behaviors also relates to difficulties with regulating emotions.
Difficulties with executive function and emotional control
The connection between emotion regulation and executive function deficits has been broadly researched. A study conducted this year by Groves and colleagues found that in a sample of children with ADHD, working memory was the executive function most strongly linked with emotion regulation skills. In the study, working memory was found to have a direct effect on emotion regulation and an indirect effect through its impact on inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in children.
The impacts of emotional dysregulation in adulthood
If these emotional difficulties remain unaddressed or untreated for children in earlier life, they will likely continue to impact people with ADHD during adulthood. In adults with ADHD, emotional dysregulation can often result in not being able to form or maintain stable relationships with friends or romantic partners. Often, adults with ADHD may find social interaction difficult. Also, romantic relationships may be difficult due to difficulties with self-regulation and the inability to control emotional reactions.
Understanding the impact of working memory on emotion regulation
Working memory is important for people with ADHD to be able to focus and attend to the tasks at hand. It involves the ability to hold information in mind. Working memory is necessary to be able to process information and form strategies for engaging in goal-directed behavior. The ability to process information effectively is an important part of emotion regulation, as it allows for managing negative thoughts associated with emotional difficulties. Also, the ability to manage emotions is vital for engaging in goal-directed behaviors because it reduces the likelihood of impulsive responses, which can be damaging.
Regions of the brain and neurotransmitters responsible for emotion regulation
Research has shown that the prefrontal cortex is a major region of the brain responsible for executive functioning and emotion regulation. This area of the brain plays a key role in controlling one's behavior, making decisions, and regulating emotions. The prefrontal cortex helps to regulate impulsivity and attention which are important components of ADHD. In ADHD, a lower concentration of dopamine and noradrenaline in the prefrontal cortex may also be related to difficulty in employing regulation strategies.
Dopamine is often associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation. Low levels of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex may mean that people with ADHD experience little reward and pleasure. This can have an impact on mood, resulting in difficulty with emotion regulation. Further, norepinephrine/noradrenaline plays a role in working memory arousal and cognitive control required for emotion regulation.
The importance of emotion regulation strategies
For people with ADHD, emotion regulation strategies are vitally important. To help regulate emotions, it is important to build emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand and manage emotions. People can build their emotional intelligence by learning how to recognize and label emotions, understanding the causes of different emotions, and developing coping strategies for managing difficult emotions.
To build emotional intelligence, it is essential for people with ADHD to work on their executive functioning ability.
How to improve executive functioning for emotion regulation
An important area to focus on with emotion regulation in ADHD is working memory development. There are techniques to help improve working memory. Many recent studies have reported gains in emotion-regulation strategies following working memory training.
Research conducted in 2020 by Emma Barkus found that working memory training had a positive impact on anxiety, rumination, positive appraisal, decreasing maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies, and decreasing intrusive thoughts.
It is believed that working memory training helps increase the availability of cognitive resources when emotion regulation strategies are required. Working memory training includes activities such as word recall, pattern or sequence recognition, and problem-solving tasks.
Other science-based Emotion Regulation Strategies
Many literature resources exist on the topic of emotional regulation, yet it can be difficult to find the most effective solution. Most research on emotional regulation focuses on a specific age group or situation, making it difficult to know how scientific methods can help control emotions. Recent research provides some clarity about these aspects.
James Gross's process model of emotion regulation posits that individuals can take steps to control their emotions before (antecedent-focused) and after (response-focused) they start to feel them. Pre-regulation strategies include self-talk and distraction, while post-regulation strategies involve reappraisal, problem-solving, and acceptance.
Emotion regulation techniques for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
In ADHD, emotion regulation skills are similarly applied to those utilized in Treating Borderline Personality Disorder. These approaches include behavior management strategies including mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal skills, and emotion regulation.
Mindfulness for emotion regulation
People with ADHD can also benefit from practicing mindfulness exercises, such as meditation and progressive muscle relaxation, which can be used to regulate physiological arousal associated with heightened emotional states. Mindfulness-based regulation strategies include techniques such as emotional awareness, which involves recognizing the emotion, attending to the experience, and allowing it to pass.
Emotional acceptance
Emotional acceptance is important to learn how not to judge emotions as good or bad feelings but that all emotional experience is valid and important. By paying attention to your emotions, it becomes easier to observe with a non-judgmental, curious approach. This allows for effective decision-making in response to challenges that trigger difficult emotions.
Breathing exercises for distress tolerance
Breathing exercises can be particularly helpful for people with ADHD because they help to regulate the physiological arousal associated with emotionally invoking stimuli. Some breathing techniques to help with emotion regulation include:
4-2-4 breathing: in for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, out for 4 seconds.
Abdominal breathing: deep breaths that focus on the abdomen rather than the chest.
Another breathing technique that can help with emotion regulation for people with ADHD is alternate nostril breathing. This involves breathing in through one nostril and out the other, then switching to the other nostril and repeating. Alternate nostril breathing is thought to help by balancing the two hemispheres of the brain.
Interpersonal skills as part of managing emotions
Interpersonal skills are important for managing emotions. ADHD can often lead to difficulties with emotion regulation, and practicing interpersonal skills can help to improve this.
Interpersonal skills involve understanding and communicating with others effectively. They include things such as effective communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. Interpersonal skills can help to improve communication and problem-solving in relationships. They can also help to resolve conflicts in a more positive way. When relationships are positive and supportive, it can be easier for someone with ADHD to regulate their emotions.
ADHD Coaching
ADHD coaching is an important part of developing emotion regulation strategies. ADHD coaching is a form of therapy which helps people with ADHD to identify their strengths and weaknesses and build strategies to focus on their goals. ADHD coaches are trained in understanding ADHD, the different ADHD challenges people face, and how to create sustainable behavior change and lasting changes in emotion regulation.
Deeper Potential provides ADHD Attention Coaching to help clients to better understand and manage their emotions, allowing them to focus on the things they need to succeed.
ADHD Programs and Courses
ADHD programs and courses can help people with ADHD manage their emotions through interpersonal skill building exercises. ADHD Ambition is one particular course which features modules on how to manage interpersonal challenges, through setting effective boundaries, and learning how to manage difficult conversations.
Conclusion
If you are living with ADHD and find that emotions often get the best of you, know that you are not alone. Several strategies can be used to help improve executive functiong and in turn, emotion regulation skills. These include working memory training, mindfulness exercises, breathing exercises, interpersonal skill building, and ADHD coaching. When these strategies are put into practice, people with ADHD can better manage their emotions and focus on achieving their goals.
If you are struggling with emotion regulation, seek help through ADHD coaching and courses. These resources can provide you with the tools you need to successfully regulate your emotions and achieve your goals.
Daniel Van der Pluym, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Daniel Van der Pluym is the founder of Deeper Potential Coaching and part founder of ADHD Ambition. He is a psychotherapist, certified Life Coach and mindfulness teacher. Through his work, he focuses on helping people overcome their life challenges to create a new story of meaning and fulfilment. His work as a psychotherapist coach and part developer of ADHD Ambition is geared towards helping people overcome uncertainty and rumination, so they can live with more clarity and fulfillment.
