How can I improve my emotional control with ADHD?

PostedDecember 22, 2025

UpdatedDecember 30, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Victoria Rowe, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

If you often find your emotions feel “too big” or hard to rein in, you are not alone. According to NHS guidance and NICE NG87, emotional control difficulties are a recognised part of ADHD. They stem from how ADHD affects brain systems that regulate impulse, attention, and emotion, not from a lack of willpower.

Why emotional control is harder with ADHD

ADHD affects brain networks involved in executive function and emotional regulation, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for filtering emotional responses and making thoughtful decisions. This means emotions can rise faster and feel stronger before the “thinking brain” has time to intervene (PubMed, 2025). When combined with executive dysfunction, which affects planning and self-monitoring, it becomes harder to pause, reflect, or switch perspective in emotionally charged moments.

Strategies to build better emotional control

Try CBT to reframe reactions

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective ways to improve emotional regulation in ADHD. NICE and NHS guidance recommend CBT for helping identify triggers, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and develop practical emotion management tools like “pause and reframe” or stepwise problem-solving.

Practise DBT skills for emotional balance

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), highlighted by Mind UK and NHS Trusts, teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation skills. A 2024 systematic review found that DBT reduces impulsive emotional reactions and improves stability across daily situations.

Build mindfulness into daily life

Recent PubMed reviews shows that mindfulness-based approaches enhance self-awareness and help people recognise rising emotions before they take over. Even short, regular breathing or grounding exercises can improve calmness and focus.

Support your brain with structure and self-care

Simple lifestyle changes, regular sleep, movement, consistent meals, and sensory-friendly spaces, reduce baseline stress and make emotional control easier to maintain (BDA, 2024).

Combine medication and therapy where appropriate

Medication can improve attention and impulse regulation, which indirectly supports emotional balance. However, the NHS and NICE agree that medication works best alongside behavioural and psychological strategies.

Therapy-based support programmes such as Theara Change integrate CBT and mindfulness principles to help individuals develop emotional resilience. Regulated clinical services like ADHD Certify provide comprehensive assessment and ongoing care within NICE-aligned frameworks.

Takeaway

Improving emotional control with ADHD is about practice, not perfection. According to NHS and NICE guidance, combining CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and structured self-care offers the most effective and sustainable path to feeling calmer and more in control day to day.

Victoria Rowe, MSc

Author

Victoria Rowe is a health psychologist with a Master’s in Health Psychology and a BS in Applied Psychology. She has experience as a school psychologist, conducting behavioural assessments, developing individualized education plans (IEPs), and supporting children’s mental health. Dr. Rowe has contributed to peer-reviewed research on mental health, including studies on anxiety disorders and the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems. Skilled in SPSS, Minitab, and academic writing, she is committed to advancing psychological knowledge and promoting well-being through evidence-based practice.

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.