, and medication side effects may make them much more likely to feel ill-tempered, aggressive, and impatient. Impulsivity is common in ADHD and is one of the significant reasons for anger. The impulsive nature means that if an individual feels angry, they communicate it that way instantly, unlike non-ADHD individuals who may try to alleviate it a little.){kind=link}
Anger is a part of the natural emotional spectrum that has helped humans and animals survive and enables them to confront difficult situations, make changes, and defend essential boundaries. But as normal as anger can be, it can disturb your healthy life, relationships, and social interaction with other people. Many men with ADHD have uncontrolled emotions, especially anger, that threatens their friendships, home life, and job. Research in recent times has suggested a strong emotional component of ADHD, and when these emotions overwhelm, the individuals experience an anger outburst. Anger issues in ADHD males can be due to many reasons, such as a feeling of failure, which makes them angry and frustrated. Expression of anger may stem from feelings of not being loved, rejected, or not being valued, and if these feelings are not released slowly, they may cause an anger outburst.
Anger may hurt your relationships with your friends and family and impedes your ability to be happy. It also compromises our social skills that are helpful in a great relationship and sends our marriage and relationship. These strained relationships then result in increased stress and non-productivity. This is a natural reaction to hurt and betrayal and is often due to outbursts of hidden feelings. Men often hide their feelings for long because they are taught that if they show any emotion. These feelings can be so deeply hidden and hurting that they cause extreme bursts of anger and frustration when they get out of control. The critical factor of anger is that if it is out of control, it hurts one’s socially, mentally, and physically. The goal of anger management in ADHD individuals is to find ways to relieve factors that cause anger and problems related to it.
What is the link between ADHD and Anger?
Men with ADHD experience emotions in a much more intense manner than their non-ADHD peers, and what’s more, the comorbid conditions such as aggression, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and medication side effects may make them much more likely to feel ill-tempered, aggressive, and impatient. Impulsivity is common in ADHD and is one of the significant reasons for anger. The impulsive nature means that if an individual feels angry, they communicate it that way instantly, unlike non-ADHD individuals who may try to alleviate it a little. Another reason is the emotional sensitivity in ADHD, which makes it hard to regulate those feelings and express an extreme way of anger or crying. In ADHD, your mood changes quickly throughout the day, and you can have many episodes of happiness, sadness, and frustration in one day. This causes ADHD males to be much more susceptible to anger issues. Mental disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, frustration, and OCD, are all much more common in ADHD and cause anger outbursts. These individuals experience low self-esteem, making it difficult to achieve and feel proud. They instead think devalued and isolated, which can also lead to you feeling anger.
How to Manage Anger in ADHD males?
Several strategies and treatments help you learn ways to manage your anger.
- Stimulant medications (SSRIs and antipsychotic medications) used to treat ADHD may also help lower irritability and relieve anger.
- Self-regulation training can help you learn to avoid or remove yourself from situations that cause anger and set boundaries to prevent conflict and frustration.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy approach in which a therapist helps you monitor your level of anger and employs relaxation techniques according to it.
- Behavioral training can equip you with skills known to improve your compliance and lower the level of stress, which will also result in low anger outbursts.
- Other anger management methods in ADHD males are mindfulness meditation, exercise, relaxation techniques, yoga, and medication.
References:
ADHD and Anger: How They Are Connected (healthline.com)
Children With ADHD and Anger (verywellmind.com)
Anger Management Tips for Men with ADHD (additudemag.com)
Anger Issues and ADHD: Emotional Dysregulation, DMDD & Bipolar Disorder (additudemag.com)