How Common Is Emotional Dysregulation Among Adults with ADHD?

PostedOctober 28, 2025

UpdatedOctober 29, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Phoebe Carter, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Emotional dysregulation includes intense, fast-changing emotions that are hard to control, which is one of the most frequent challenges that adults with ADHD experience. According to NICE guidance (NG87, 2025 update), it’s not listed as a core diagnostic symptom, but it’s widely recognised as a major associated feature that can strongly affect daily life.

How Common Is It?

Recent studies suggest that between one-third and two-thirds of adults with ADHD experience significant emotional dysregulation. A 2025 PubMed review found prevalence rates of 34–70% across clinical and community samples, with women often reporting greater emotional intensity and sensitivity than men (Dolapoglu et al., 2025; Soler-Gutiérrez et al., 2023).

Emotional symptoms may also vary with age. While some men report milder reactivity over time, women—particularly during hormonal transitions such as menopause—often experience persistent or heightened mood variability (Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 2025).

How It Affects Daily Life

Adults with ADHD and emotional dysregulation describe feeling emotions more intensely, for longer, and with less ability to “bounce back.” This can lead to difficulties in relationships, impulsive decision-making, and heightened stress in professional settings. A 2023 review in the Journal of Attention Disorders linked emotional dysregulation to lower self-esteem, job dissatisfaction, and greater interpersonal conflict (Bodalski et al., 2023).

Comorbid conditions are also common. Studies published in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2025) show that emotional dysregulation often co-occurs with anxiety, depression, or rejection sensitivity, particularly among women (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025).

What the NHS and NICE Recommend

The NHS England ADHD Taskforce (2025) recognises emotional regulation difficulties as a key area for intervention. Both NHS and NICE guidelines recommend multimodal care:

Medication (stimulant or non-stimulant) to stabilise impulsivity and mood fluctuations.

CBT or DBT to strengthen emotional self-regulation and coping strategies.

Mindfulness and psychoeducation to enhance emotional awareness and resilience.

Lifestyle measures good sleep, exercise, and daily structure, to support emotional balance.

If emotional highs and lows are impacting your work, relationships, or wellbeing, a structured ADHD assessment can help identify what’s driving those changes. You can explore affordable, professional options through ADHD Certify, a trusted UK-based provider offering online ADHD assessments for adults and children, with ongoing medication and support for emotional regulation.

Takeaway

Emotional dysregulation affects most adults with ADHD to some degree. It’s not just about mood swings, it’s part of how ADHD shapes emotion and attention. With the right therapy, medication, and support, stability and calm are absolutely achievable.

Phoebe Carter, MSc

Author

Phoebe Carter is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Applied Psychology. She has experience working with both children and adults, conducting psychological assessments, developing individualized treatment plans, and delivering evidence-based therapies. Phoebe specialises in neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, and learning disabilities, as well as mood, anxiety, psychotic, and personality disorders. She is skilled in CBT, behaviour modification, ABA, and motivational interviewing, and is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care to individuals of all ages.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.