{"id":14090,"date":"2017-07-19T17:29:47","date_gmt":"2017-07-19T17:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/?p=14090"},"modified":"2017-07-19T17:29:47","modified_gmt":"2017-07-19T17:29:47","slug":"8-strategies-to-manage-your-adhd-emotions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marlacummins.com\/stage2026\/8-strategies-to-manage-your-adhd-emotions\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Your Emotions Steering Your Life? Time to Take Back The Wheel!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Think back to the last time you did something when you felt angry, hurt or frustrated and later thought, “I wish I wouldn\u2019t have done that!!\u201d If you have ever thought that, it may be, like many Adults with ADHD, you have difficulty regulating your emotions.<\/p>\n

It is not that you have different feelings than others or that your feelings are wrong. Rather, the challenge for you is that because of your ADHD you may get triggered quickly, stew for long periods of time and act on your feelings before you’ve had a chance to think.<\/p>\n

Sure, feelings are feelings. But you don\u2019t need to let them run the show, right?<\/p>\n

If you want, you can learn how to decrease the number of times you get triggered and modulate your emotional responses in the moment.<\/p>\n

Ready to try?<\/p>\n

What It Looks Like When Your Emotions Are Running The Show<\/h2>\n

First, to illustrate how not managing emotions can derail an Adult with ADHD, let\u2019s look at a snapshot of Cory\u2019s day.<\/p>\n

When Cory checked his email upon waking he found one from his boss, asking Cory to call him as soon as he got to the office. Immediately<\/strong>, Cory became worried <\/strong>and thought, \u201cI\u2019m in trouble. I bet that client complained!\u201d Though he had no idea what his boss wanted.<\/p>\n

Then, as he was stuck in his worried thoughts, his 10 year old son spilled his cup of juice all over the floor. Happens, right? But Cory got really frustrated<\/strong> and snapped<\/strong>, asking his son, \u201cWhy can\u2019t you be more careful?!\u201d<\/p>\n

And, when his spouse gently suggested that maybe Cory could go a little easier on his son, Cory exploded and exclaimed, \u201cI can\u2019t deal with this. I need to get to the office right now<\/strong> to deal with my boss!”<\/p>\n

Cory was really hurt <\/strong>by his spouse’s comments and, as he was leaving, thought \u201cGreat, now I\u2019m not a good father, too!\u201d Though that is not what his spouse said.<\/p>\n

Cory was so amped up he couldn\u2019t calm down<\/strong>. So, once he got to the office he couldn\u2019t focus<\/strong> on his work\u2026<\/p>\n

If this scenario sounds familiar, you may also, as Dr. Thomas Brown, author of Smart but Stuck \u2013 Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD<\/em>, notes:<\/p>\n