Emotional Dysregulation: The Missing Link of ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often only discussed in terms of attention and focus—just look at the name—but for many adults, the emotional chaos, or dysregulation—is the most debilitating part.
Emotional dysregulation occurs when the nervous system struggles to manage or self-correct intense internal emotions, leading to states of overstimulation, burnout, and overwhelm. This state often manifests as reactivity, heightened sensitivity, and feeling anxious and exhausted yet "revved up" simultaneously—like an elevator trying to go up and down at the same time.
Understanding this puzzle piece of emotional dysregulation is critical when working with ADHD in psychotherapy.
A Shift in Perspective
Atypical Another name for ADHD is Kinetic Cognitive Style (KCS), a term coined by neurodivergent author and educator, Dr. Nick Walker (https://neuroqueer.com). KCS is neuro-affirming, emphasizing the kinetic nature of the ADHD brain, which is active, lively; dynamic, energizing. This alternative framing interrupts the stigmatizing language often found in Westernized medical models. When pathology is the focus, everything becomes a disease or disorder to be cured. Yet, when seen through a neurodiversity paradigm, ADHD is not an affliction, but a difference.
The ADHD brain has a beautiful capacity for creative, non-linear thinking and an ability to fully immerse in exciting topics. Without parameters, however, it can be easy to get lost in our own minds. For instance, stream of consciousness journaling may be cathartic, but for a dysregulated nervous system, all your thoughts on paper looking back at you can increase overwhelm. Bilateral drawing is a soothing and grounding practice, but if your emotional hypersensitivity is activated that day, it can end up being an opportunity for the shame monster to spiral.
In traditional talk therapy, it is all about the thoughts, the behavior, and of course, talking. There can sometimes be expectations for everything to make linear sense, to fit together neatly. Yet, cognition and behavior are only part of the equation. In a dysregulated nervous system common in ADHD, over-reliance on talking and process puts more demand on executive functioning and words may fail to reach the emotion centers.
The Creative Solution
Creative arts therapy uses the arts as an in-roads to contact the emotions, and emotions reside in the body. When we can slow down and get into the body and into expression, the cognitive thinking mind has permission to take a break.
The expressive arts utilize the power of externalization, which involves creating a level of aesthetic distance from the problem. We move the overwhelming emotions out of the body and onto the page, into a sound, or into movement. This separation facilitates the distance we need in order to dialogue with the emotions.
Whatever is troubling us—sadness, heartache, anxiousness, depression—can be given a name, a voice, a sound, a picture, or a symbol. This is not about making something pretty. It is about expressing what has been repressed, about giving shape to what is and true and alive.
Through using intentional and evidence-based activities, we leave the shore of over-reliance on the executive functioning areas of the brain and allow the creative, right-brain, emotion-oriented parts to lead. This creates an opening for getting curious, and moving towards, the parts of the self that have been ignored, rejected, and unloved—what Jung termed the shadow.
True healing for the ADHD brain often requires stepping off the linear path and getting curious about the non-verbal wisdom of your body. ❤️
