Emotional Dysregulation

Have you ever gone from zero to absolutely furious in the space of about two seconds, over something that you logically know isn’t that big a deal? Or felt sadness so intense it felt like it might actually swallow you whole? Or maybe you’ve been told you’re “too sensitive” or “overreacting” so many times you’ve started to believe it?

If any of this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with emotional dysregulation.

Emotional dysregulation isn’t about being dramatic or lacking self-control. It’s about having a nervous system that processes emotions with more intensity, speed, or duration than what’s considered “typical.”

Here’s what it might actually feel like:

• Emotions hit you like a freight train, seemingly out of nowhere
• You have big reactions to things others brush off easily
• Once you’re upset, it feels impossible to calm down
• You’re emotionally exhausted from feeling everything so deeply
• You can’t quite find words to explain the emotional storm happening inside you
• People have called you “too much” or told you to “just calm down” (thanks, so helpful)

Here’s what’s really important to understand: this isn’t a character flaw or a sign that you need to toughen up. For many neurodivergent people — whether you’re autistic, have ADHD, or have experienced trauma — your nervous system just processes emotional information differently.

And you know what? There can be real gifts in feeling things deeply. You might be incredibly empathetic, passionate about justice, or able to experience joy and beauty in ways others miss.

The key isn’t to stop feeling so much — it’s to understand your emotional patterns and develop strategies that work with your nervous system, not against it. Things like building in recovery time, learning grounding techniques, or simply giving yourself permission to feel what you feel without judgment.