How to De-escalate Explosive Stress Reactions of ADHD: Mental Health Out Loud w/ Dr. Bill Dodson

Emotional dysregulation is a core facet of ADHD. Though it’s not included in the DSM diagnostic criteria for ADHD, deficient emotional self-regulation is an almost-universal problem and is exacerbated by elevated stress and trauma. When emotional dysregulation spirals out of control, caregivers and educators often feel helpless and trapped.
In this Q&A with ADDitude, Dr. William Dodson discusses how to de-escalate an explosive situation with a dysregulated child or student while protecting everyone's safety.
Find more resources from the Q&A here: www.additudemag.com/webinar/m...
8:21 How to Deal with Your Child's Explosive and Physically Violent Outbursts
16:21 How do you, as a parent, take space for yourself in order to self-regulate, during a heated moment while communicating that you are not abandoning your child?
17:50 Does it help to discuss go-to strategies ahead of time? How do you remind your child of those strategies?
23:11 Any attempt to calm down teens or adult spouses is met with resistance and seen as criticism - how do we navigate that rejection sensitivity dysphoria?
28:15 overview of rejection sensitivity
29:20 alpha-1 agonist blood pressure medication for RSD
32:31 What are strategies for emotional self-regulation
33:22 Pay Attention to the Basics
34:10 Mirror and minimize gestures
36:05 Try not to argue
42:28 Do You Impose Consequences During Heated Moments?
45:00 Don't Just Offer Consequences
52:50 How to moderate between an explosive spouse/parent and child?
Mental Health Out Loud is a new type of conversation where the editors of ADDitude - along with leading experts in the fields of ADHD and mental health - discuss topics in emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
Subscribe to the ADDitude KZbin Channel: / @additudemag
Visit the ADDitude web site: www.additudemag.com
Follow ADDitude on Facebook: / additudemag
Follow ADDitude on Instagram: / additudemag
Follow ADDitude on Twitter: / additudemag
Follow ADDitude on Pinterest: / additudemag
Subscribe to ADDitude Magazine: www.cambeywest.com/subscribe2...

[@deekaneable]

Thank you so much for making these videos. I've been diagnosed since I was a teenager. The emotional part was never included or talked about. Everybody just assumed I was quick to anger asshole. My life was literally falling apart until I figured out the emotional disregulation was part of my condition. I'm still learning to deal with it but my life has improved 1000x.

[@fascistscansuckit]

How about a resource like this that focuses on how this subject affects parents and parenting.

[@Sunnyfield323]

So fabulous a topic ! Yes please I’m listening! In important topic

[@annsan1722]

Thank you so much for this, sounds like a lot of good strategies to try. My remaining question is: Is it of any use for an adult, after he is successfully medicated, to look into the triggers and work with these too? Kind of second step prevention?

[@simonanardi4312]

Of course, I would say! Medication can never be enough (It may depend on the grade pf severity of your AD(H)D, but our brain will always stay the same, and then there will be moments where the medication might be wearing off or not he available - we have ADHD after all, who does always remember to take, to order, or to pack the pills when on vacation…?) I think there is no medication that can adjust to all the specific and somewhat unpredictable reactions of our brain. And, last not least (I’m speaking of ADHD diagnosed at an adult age): medication is, first of all, the thing levelling the ground in order to LEARN what other brains may have learned at eight or fifteen

[@Heyu7her3]

Yes, some stuff we do because of habit

[@Sunnyfield323]

Yes if he /she is willing . The difference between adults thst I know is the one that has insight does more self care and self regulation as she knows her triggers , if one doesn’t have the insight and a strategy to employ at the time before they hit the “red zone “ ( Zones of regulation ) how does one stop the cycle?

[@ericnl4491]

When RSD strikes, how long does it last ?

[@henrywudl2789]

It can vary depending on the person and the degree of stress in the situation. Anywhere from less than an hour to several hours and even days as far as I’m aware.

[@simonanardi4312]

This is also a thing I’m sure we could learn manage a bit better, for example with mindfulness meditation.

[@MWong2005]

Even though it’s a core component of a DHD how do I address it with my 14-year-old son? Are the consequences to give? Or not because it just comes with it and it happens? What do I do? Strategy please!