ADHD Questions
ADHD Questions
Does ADHD cause mood swings?
April 20, 2023
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Mood swings have been strongly linked with ADHD. Those with mood swings tend to have more severe ADHD symptoms.
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While ADHD can cause mood swings by itself, clinicians may want to rule out bipolar disorder, given the significant overlap between bipolar disorder and ADHD.
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Some ADHD medications have been specifically shown to help moderate mood swings in those with ADHD.
Scientists increasingly recognize that mood is a key part of ADHD, along with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
People with ADHD can have trouble regulating their emotions.
Among the emotional challenges that individuals with ADHD face, mood swings are the most strongly linked. The study below found that individuals with ADHD are significantly more likely to experience mood swings than those without ADHD.
One study found that those with ADHD have trouble regulating their emotions. ADHD was strongly linked with mood swings.
Issues with emotional regulation, particularly negative emotions, correlate with ADHD symptom severity.
Researchers found a significant link between emotional dysregulation and ADHD severity.
Mood swings could be bipolar disorder
While ADHD has been specifically linked to mood swings, mood swings in ADHD could also be a result of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder is quite common among people with ADHD.
Studies estimate that around 10-30% of people with ADHD also have bipolar disorder, though estimates of this can vary widely.
A review of ADHD and Bipolar Disorder has found substantial overlaps between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder. Having one condition makes it more likely that we’ll have the other condition at some point in our lives.
One of the hallmarks of bipolar disorder is a manic episode, partly defined by highly variable moods. As you can see in the criteria below, mood swings in someone with ADHD could be a symptom of bipolar disorder.
A manic episode is a distinct period where one experiences an abnormally elevated or irritable mood and goal-directed behavior, for at least one week, nearly every day.
If you do experience frequent mood swings and you have ADHD, be sure to tell your doctor. It may be important to test for bipolar disorder as this can affect which treatments your doctor prescribes.
Expert opinions
Many experts now agree that mood swings are a key part of ADHD.
According to Mayo Clinic, mood swings are related to difficulties with impulse control in ADHD.
Normally, the executive function in our brain helps us moderate and control our impulses. Oftentimes, those with ADHD have trouble with this. One of the manifestations of this difficulty with executive function is mood swings.
Another source has listed mood swings as a hallmark of ADHD.
They believe mood swings are a key symptom and should be evaluated when diagnosing and treating ADHD.
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Emotional dysregulation is now known to play a causal role regarding ADHD symptomatology. Along with executive functioning, reaction time variability and potentially delay aversion, emotional dysregulation should therefore be included in future theoretical models of ADHD, as well as in clinical practice when identifying the major impairments in this diagnostic group and when deciding therapeutic strategies.
Individual experiences with mood swings
Individuals with ADHD have reported having mood swings as part of their condition.
One common theme in many experiences is the overlap between ADHD mood swings and bipolar disorder. Some people with mood swings suspect that their mood swings may result from potential bipolar disorder.
Treating mood swings in ADHD
Mood swings in ADHD maybe treatable with medication.
Medication is a key part of ADHD treatment, along with CBT and other forms of therapy.
Atomoxetine, otherwise known as Strattera, has been specifically shown to improve mood swings in clinical trials.
The studies below found that 32% of adults had difficulty regulating emotions.
Participants who were assigned to take atomoxetine had significant improvements in their emotional regulation.
A second meta-analysis of ADHD medication found a weak but significant link between ADHD medication and emotional control in adults with ADHD.
