People with ADHD feel emotions more intensely than others do. When they feel happiness and excitement, it makes them more interesting and engaging. But strong emotion has its downside as well.
People with ADHD are impulsive. They get carried away by what they are feeling, and act on it without considering how it will affect other people or themselves. If you see something interesting at the store, you may get excited and buy that item and forget the rest of your shopping list.
This is the challenge of emotional self-control - having the appropriate emotion and feeling it at the right intensity. When it comes to getting things done, people with ADHD struggle with both sides of the equation.
They get excited about distractions and get bored with the tasks they should be doing. They can’t hunker down. They can’t get things done. They may wonder, “Why am I so emotional all the time?”
Lack of emotional control creates common and predictable struggles in daily life:
- Sharing too much - there are times when it’s better not to reveal too much, such as at a work meeting or when trying to manage a frustrating child.
- Behaving spontaneously - without stopping and thinking before acting.
- Having “motivational deficit disorder” - people with ADHD have a harder time motivating themselves to start and finish tasks that aren’t interesting. Giving in to emotions brings this disorder on.
- Losing the big picture - leading to decisions that they may later regret.
- Losing the other person’s perspective - leading to self-centeredness or stepping on a friend’s feelings.
- Saying something you later regret.
- Showing anger or frustration - undermining relationships with friends, family, or your boss.
- Quitting a job on an impulse.
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Read more on Additudemag.com.
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