AD(H)D and anger

Today, I saw that meme on Facebook and wondered that other people also have anger issues. I had forgotten that I had posted about it 12 years ago 😄

It is not a topic that people - neurotypical or neurodivergent alike - usually talk about, and I had never heard before that it can be an issue in neurodivergent people and a symptom of AD(H)D.

So I googled and found those articles that I want to share here:

ADHD Rage and Anger Issues: New Insights into Emotional Dysregulation and Treatment Considerations

Irritability, anger issues, and emotional dysregulation in general contribute significantly to the psychosocial burden of ADHD in children and adults. The latest research suggests that these rage problems are inherent to ADHD and may require specific treatment.

Anger issues stemming from emotional dysregulation – while noticeably missing from diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) – are a fundamental part of the ADHD experience for a significant number of children and adults. Even when controlling for related comorbid conditions, individuals with ADHD experience disproportionate problems with anger, irritability, and managing other emotions. These problems walk in lock step with the general difficulties in self-regulation that characterize ADHD. Recent findings, however, suggest that problems with emotional regulation, including anger and negative emotions, are genetically linked to ADHD, too.

Ultimately, emotional dysregulation is one major reason that ADHD is subjectively difficult to manage, and why it also poses such a high risk for other problems like depression, anxiety, or negative self-medication. Scientific and clinical attention are now increasingly turning to correct the past neglect of this integral aspect of ADHD.

Recognizing this inherent relationship between emotional dysregulation and ADHD is also important when discerning between related and similar conditions, like disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), bipolar disorder, intermittent explosive disorder (IED), depression, anxiety disorders, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). In all, paying mind to anger issues and emotionality in patients with ADHD is crucial for successful treatment and symptom management in the long term.

Anger Issues and ADHD: Theories & Research

Though separated from ADHD in official nomenclature today, emotional dysregulation and anger were connected to ADHD in the mid-20th century before current diagnostic norms were created, and have continued to form part of personal and clinical experiences. Decades ago, when ADHD was known as “minimal brain dysfunction,” criteria for diagnosis actually included aspects of negative emotionality.

You can read more on Additude.

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You can also find Management Scripts on Additude.

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How ADHD Amplifies Emotions

Emotional dysregulation is a core symptom of ADHD. The result: overblown reactions to small setbacks or challenges. In this video, learn the brain chemistry behind your runaway feelings.

“Emotion regulation is a big part of ADHD that has been traditionally ignored,” says Joel Nigg, Ph.D. “When comparing ADHD brains to those without, we see that the connection between the prefrontal cortex and the reward system has reduced activation, especially in the dorsal part of the prefrontal cortex. This could explain overexcitement, frustration & anger, and inability to respond to delayed rewards.”

More here.

Prefrontal cortex according to English Wikipedia:

This brain region has been implicated in executive functions, such as planning, decision making, working memory, personality expression, moderating social behavior and controlling certain aspects of speech and language. Executive function relates to abilities to differentiate among conflicting thoughts, determine good and bad, better and best, same and different, future consequences of current activities, working toward a defined goal, prediction of outcomes, expectation based on actions, and social "control" (the ability to suppress urges that, if not suppressed, could lead to socially unacceptable outcomes).

According to German Wikipedia:

The prefrontal cortex receives sensory signals and is correlated with the integration of memory content and emotional evaluations. On this basis, there is a correlational relationship between prefrontal brain activity and action planning.

Calm Your Amygdala Music on YouTube.

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Emotional Instability: A Core Symptom of ADHD?

A new report claims that emotional instability should be listed as a core symptom of ADHD in the DSM, instead of just hyperactivity and inattention.

You can read more on Additude.

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Emotional Regulation: 7 Truths About ADHD Emotions on YouTube.

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ADHD | Emotional Hypersensitivity on YouTube - the tips are good!

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For two decades now I thought my abusive mother and sister had ADHD (while I have ADD), but reading those Symptoms of DMDD, I think, they might (also) have DMDD:

Children with DMDD alternate between extended periods of moodiness and temper outbursts. “It’s a combination of persistently irritable or annoyed mood that hangs on for an unusually long time, usually more than half of the child’s waking hours, and excessive or frequent temper outbursts,” explains James Waxmonsky, MD, division chief, Child Psychiatry at Penn State Health.