Other Common Reasons Why Having ADHD Results in Anger Problems
- Children and adults alike with ADHD tend to feel emotions very deeply. They have a hard time regulating these feelings which can cause them to cry easily or feel intense anger.
- Moods shift very quickly throughout the day when you have ADHD. During one day there are many episodes of happiness, sadness, and frustration.
- Low tolerance to frustration leads to angry outbursts
- Feeling anxious about a situation or low self-esteem can lead to anger.
- There is an increased chance of meltdowns occurring as medications wear off.
- The restlessness and energy that comes from having ADHD can be too much to handle sometimes, and it bubbles over into anger or physical reactions.
What Can Adults Do to Ease ADHD Meltdowns?
There are several steps a person can take to manage and even prevent outbursts.
- Notice when you are approaching overwhelm and sensory overload.
- Take breaks when you need to.
- Identify your triggers and come up with ways to cope with them as they occur.
- Don’t demand perfection from yourself or others.
- Study your routines and find the areas and times that produce the most stress and devise a plan for dealing with those instances.
- Get enough sleep.
- Eat nutritious meals.
- Mindfulness training.
- Daily exercise. Exercise will help to rid the body of excess energy as well as release endorphins.
What Can Adults Do to Help a Child Ease Meltdowns?
It takes a great deal of patience to deal with a child in meltdown mode, but it can be accomplished!
- Learn your child’s triggers and come up with a plan to address them. Being prepared ahead of time for potential outbursts can help diffuse them before they happen.
- Let your child know ahead of time what the consequences will be for certain actions.
- Talk to your child and encourage them to talk to you. Always acknowledge their feelings and let them know that feelings in themselves are not bad. Teach a child to articulate their feelings, giving them a sense of power over their emotions.
- Distract them.
- Use time-outs. Give them space and time to calm down.
- Ignore the tantrum. This may be easier said than done, but it doesn’t help to respond with anger or annoyance.
- Give reminders to a child leading up to the thing or event they are supposed to do.
- Praise a child when they show self-control.
- Avoid corporal punishment.
- Daily activity. Strenuous play can provide an outlet for strong emotions and the excess energy.
Learning to Live a Life Where Emotions Don’t Control You
It is possible to learn to curb our strong emotional responses. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be extremely beneficial in learning to cope with the symptoms of ADHD.
No one is perfect. There will be times when any one of us will succumb to angry outbursts, fits of crying, or strong emotional responses. It’s normal.
The key, if you have ADHD, is not to let these strong emotions run you, or destroy your relationships. It’s one more thing that will require our energy, but it is worth learning to control. Acknowledge that you have a problem regulating emotions and ask for help from loved ones and experts.
Be patient with yourself. Some days are going to be easier than others. Some days are going to test your limits. Practice mindfulness, know your triggers and follow your plan.
