Emotional Dysregulation Tip Sheet for Professionals
Emotional dysregulation refers to moods that are unstable, and unpredictable within a socially acceptable range.
Look for These Difficulties
- Saying or doing things without regard for safety/impulsive
- Trouble knowing when to stop an activity
- Moods shift rapidly
- Intention and behavior may be disconnected such as laughing at a sad story
- Social isolation
Accommodations
- Take the individual to a quiet area
- In a moment of intense emotion, ask the individual to pause and record (out loud or on paper) their emotions
- Use mindfulness techniques
- Predictability and consistency is key; try to schedule your meetings at the same time
- Distracted or agitated individuals can benefit from physical grounding techniques. (For example, ask your client to describe a small object from the room, in great detail, for 60 seconds.)
Rewarding positive behavior creates a trend of more prosocial behaviors.