Difficulty managing emotions
What are emotions, and what is emotional dysregulation?
We all have emotions…the good and the bad ones…and they all deserve a seat at the table. Emotions help us navigate the world, alert us when something is wrong and help us make informed decisions. Emotions, while they may not always be pleasant, need to be regulated. That is, we need to feel in control of them and like they are not too powerful and overwhelming. When you have difficulty managing your emotions, it often feels like your feelings take over before you even have a chance to think. You might notice that your reactions feel bigger or stronger than the situation calls for, and once you’re upset, it can be hard to calm yourself down. Small problems can feel overwhelming, and your mood may swing quickly from one extreme to another. You may find yourself getting irritated, sad, or anxious more easily than other people seem to, and those feelings can linger longer than you want them to. You might also feel confused about why you react the way you do, or you may feel guilty afterward because your emotions came out more intensely than you intended. Sometimes, this is called emotional dysregulation.
If you feel you are struggling with understanding your emotions, controlling them, or acting in a way that you’re proud of when your emotions take over, you may be struggling with emotional dysregulation. Therapy can help, and there are a lot of treatments available to support people to develop skills to help with their emotional regulation. A couple of well known treatments include things like Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Emotion-Focussed Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Our psychologists use trauma-informed and affirming treatments to support you, so please contact us to chat about counselling in Footscray.
Things you night notice if you have difficulty managing your emotions
We can all struggle managing our emotions, but you might find it’s more difficult if you have struggled with things like trauma, personality disorders, or are currently struggling with stress. The Centre for Clinical Intervention has a free resource and some basic tools to help you manage difficult emotions.
Symptoms of emotional dysregulation
- Your feelings get strong very quickly
- You get upset, angry or anxious
- It’s hard to calm down once you’re emotional
- Your mood changes fast
- You react before you have time to think
- You feel overwhelmed by your own feelings
- You bottle things up and then suddenly explode or break down
- You shut down or avoid situations because you’re scared of how you’ll react
- You act impulsively in response to emotions
- You feel confused or guilty about your reactions afterward
Physical symptoms of emotional dysregulation
- Your heart beats faster when emotions hit
- Stomach feels tight, upset, or ‘in knots’
- Muscles feel tense, especially in your shoulders or neck
- You feel shaky, restless, or fidgety
- You feel sweaty or clammy
- You have trouble sleeping or waking up often
- You feel tired or drained after you feel intense emotions
- Your breathing gets faster or feels harder to control
- You feel a heavy or tight feeling in your chest
So, what can I do?
If you’re feeling trapped, controlled or scared by your emotions, you might be struggling with emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation can be a symptom of several mental health conditions. Please get in touch with us, as we have a range of helpful therapies that can help and can help match you to the right psychologist in the Western suburbs to support you.
Medicare rebates are available, and we offer telehealth appointments. We also have Workcover psychologists, TAC psychologists and offer telehealth psychologists.
Psychology FAQs
Have a question? Take a look below… these are some of the common questions we get.
Ready to talk?
Please get in touch today to have a chat to our friendly team so we can match you with an appropriate psychologist. If you are an existing client, you can book online.