Emotional dysregulation – problems in managing one’s emotional experiences, actions, and reactions.
Are you easily offended or irritated? Do you overreact to situations that may not bother others at all? Do your loved ones think that you are too sensitive or often dramatic?
Emotional dysregulation often manifests as severe mood swings, angry outbursts, substance use/abuse, depressive episodes, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and other possible maladaptive behaviors. In a stressful situation, such a person is easily carried away by emotions and begins to act impulsively, committing actions that he later regrets. Also, emotional dysregulation can be manifested in the suppression of emotions or their excessive control, which leads to a decrease in mood, a lack of positive emotions, as well as difficulties in communication and expressing emotions.
Emotional dysregulation is a complex set of processes that are believed to include the following four main aspects:
- lack of awareness, understanding, and acceptance of emotions;
- lack of adaptive emotion regulation strategies (intensity or duration);
- emotional reluctance to feel emotional stress when achieving desired goals;
- inability to behave purposefully and calmly under stress.
Considering these four aspects of emotion dysregulation, researcher D’Agostino and his colleagues made the appropriate conclusion. They suggest that all of the following examples of emotion dysregulation, such as avoidance, rumination, denial, suppression of emotions, aggression, and withdrawal, are psychological and behavioral strategies that ultimately increase negative feelings.
Emotional regulation skills training allows you to learn to consciously manage emotions and bring this process to automaticity. For this, use our EQ.APP application.
In the case of persistent emotional dysregulation, which manifests itself in many different life situations and leads to maladaptation, it is recommended to consult a psychologist.
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