ADHD Questions
Why are emotions so intense in ADHD?
Charles Li, MD
April 20, 2023
🧠
ADHD affects the part of your brain responsible for inhibiting yourself and controlling your emotions.
🔥
As a result, ADHD has been linked with mood swings and difficulties with emotional control. While they aren’t diagnostic symptoms, they are closely linked.
💊
ADHD medications generally help with controlling intense emotions caused by ADHD. But, some medications have been linked with irritability.
The core symptoms of ADHD involve difficulties with attention and hyperactivity. However, it is a complicated disorder associated with other impacts, including intense emotions.
This is partly due to differences in the ADHD brain. Often, those with ADHD have difficulties with their executive function.
This part of your brain is responsible for inhibiting your impulses and managing your emotions. When you feel a rush of anger, executive function keeps things under control. It's also the part responsible for sustaining attention.
What is executive function?
Studies have shown that those with ADHD often struggle with executive function, suggesting that this may be a key cause of the intense emotions often found in ADHD.
The following executive function deficits were most consistently found across a meta-analysis of 83 studies.
ADHD and mood swings
Many adolescents and adults with ADHD can have trouble with emotions. Small annoyances or stimuli can lead to intense emotions for those with ADHD.
One study found a strong and significant link between ADHD and the ability to regulate one’s own emotions.
This most strongly manifested itself as mood swings.
One study found that those with ADHD have trouble regulating their emotions. ADHD was strongly linked with mood swings.
While many with ADHD also have a mood disorder, there is evidence that ADHD can cause mood swings by itself, without mood disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder.
“
However, it has been argued that emotional lability in adults with ADHD is not related to comorbid conditions, but is a core feature of the disorder. This is supported by multiple lines of evidence: emotional lability is present in adults with ADHD without psychiatric comorbidities, it responds well to ADHD medication and is related to functional impairment beyond other symptoms of ADHD.
Anxiety, ADHD, and Intense Emotions
Many with ADHD also suffer from anxiety, which has been shown to intensify emotions in ADHD.
One study shows that those with anxiety and ADHD had more trouble regulating their emotions than others with ADHD.
Over half of those with anxiety and ADHD suffered from intense poorly-regulated emotions.
One study found that those with ADHD and anxiety are more likely to have issues regulating their emotions. Having ADHD and anxiety also potentially amplifies ADHD symptoms.
ADHD and Negative Emotions
ADHD has been shown to enhance negative emotions. For example, one study showed that those with ADHD commonly experience irritability and anger.
Around 30% experienced enough irritability to qualify for a mental health diagnosis in addition to ADHD.
A study on children with ADHD found that most had experienced irritability symptoms. 31% met the criteria for an irritability mood disorder.
Experts have described irritability as a key symptom associated with ADHD. There's evidence ADHD causes more frequent and intense episodes of anger.
“
Irritability is common in ADHD, even though it is not a defining diagnostic feature. Irritability can be described as a propensity to react with anger, grouchiness, or tantrums disproportionate to the situation and when included in the broader definition of emotional dysregulation, it is present in around 25–45% of children with ADHD.
ADHD and Bipolar Disorder
Some with intense emotions and ADHD can potentially have another disorder. ADHD has been associated with higher rates of bipolar disorder, characterized by intense and varied emotions.
Studies have estimated that nearly a quarter of those with ADHD may have bipolar disorder.
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.
ADHD medication and intense emotions
ADHD is often treated with medication, but these medications can affect emotions. Generally, medications help with ADHD’s emotional symptoms. But they can also worsen symptoms in some cases.
For example, one study found that children with ADHD, who were taking Adderall, were more likely to experience irritability.
Risk of Irritability With Psychostimulant Treatment in Children With ADHD: A Meta-Analysis
Ritalin, another stimulant medication similar to Adderall, was not associated with a higher risk.
Outside of irritability, studies have shown that stimulant medications, including Adderall, can potentially stabilize and reduce the intensity of emotions in ADHD.
One study found that stimulants and Strattera, a non-stimulant medication for ADHD, reduced mood swings in ADHD.
A meta-analysis found that stimulants may be more effective in improving emotional symptoms in ADHD.
Key Takeaways
Studies have shown a strong relationship between ADHD and intense emotions. These often come in the form of mood swings and irritability.
This is consistent with what we know about the ADHD brain. Executive function, the center responsible for keeping things calm when we need them to be, often doesn't work as intended in those with ADHD.
While in some cases, these intense emotions are associated with other mental health conditions that are common in ADHD, they can also be caused directly by ADHD itself.
Medications can help make these emotions less intense and improve other ADHD symptoms. But, certain medications may be more effective than others. If you experience intense emotions with ADHD, it’s important to know that this is common among those with ADHD. Be sure to tell your doctor. Like other ADHD symptoms, it may be treatable.