Highlights
- There is a definite link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and extreme mood changes but different factors can contribute to it.
- ADHD mood swings can be caused by ADHD itself, co-existing conditions, or medication side effects.
- It is possible to manage ADHD mood swings by making lifestyle changes, managing stress with coping strategies, and seeing a doctor if heightened emotions are interfering with daily life.
- Although not essential for an ADHD diagnosis, mood changes are common symptoms associated with this condition.
You have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and are experiencing extreme up-and-down moods. They’re becoming a problem because people around you are starting to notice and call you out on your behavior. If you’re wondering if your heightened emotions are part of your ADHD diagnosis or something else, read on as we’ll answer this question and more in this article.
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Can ADHD Cause Mood Swings?
Yes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects mood, but the link between ADHD and mood swings is complex.
In order to understand this tie, let’s start with a quick recap of basic ADHD facts:
- ADHD is a brain development or neurodevelopmental disorder that affects
3 to 6 % of adults [1*] . - The most common ADHD symptoms include low attention, high energy, and impulsivity; this leaves people with ADHD with poor focus, high distractibility, and impulsiveness.
Symptoms of ADHD Mood Swings
You may recognize your ADHD highs and lows in the following patterns:
- Having outbursts of emotion in stressful circumstances
- Feeling irritable due to hyperactivity and restlessness
- Saying inappropriate things for a specific situation
- Behaving violently or aggressively
- Feeling emotions more intensely than appropriate for a situation
- Feeling more distressed by intense emotions which causes a vicious cycle
- Presenting with poor sleep patterns
- Swinging from a positive feeling like excitement to a low emotion, like despair, within a few hours
- Appearing energized one moment and exhausted the next
- Alternating from high energy to feeling exhausted
- Losing your temper quickly
Next, we’ll explore why and how these and other aspects contribute to an ADHD-mood swing connection.
Causes of Mood Swings in ADHD
There are many reasons for the mood fluctuations seen in ADHD. They often result from the core symptoms of the disorder but could also be side effects of your medication or point to a co-existing condition. Let’s take a look at the most common examples.
Frustration From Low Attention
People with ADHD are known to have a low frustration tolerance as a result of something called
Understandably, this can lead to frustration, anxiety, irritability and mood swings.
Poor Impulse Control
Low impulse control is a key symptom of ADHD. This doesn’t only manifest as interrupting conversations or difficulty waiting in lines, but poor self-control can also cause outbursts of anger, irritability, tears, or other extreme mood swings.
High Energy
Another core ADHD symptom that can result in mood swings is feeling hyperactive. People with ADHD who have high energy are often the life of the party and may be prone to emotional highs.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria
Rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is a term used to describe an emotional turmoil reaction due to an intense feeling caused by perceived rejection; in other words, an intense, drawn-out overreaction to assumed rejection. People with ADHD might have a heightened sensitivity to rejection because of repeatedly experiencing the cold shoulder when they don’t fit in, plus they are more prone to emotional dysregulation.
Emotional dysregulation means being unable to control emotions properly, resulting in sudden mood swings and leading to behavior that might have negative consequences. This is a known association and is a problem for 3 to 7 out of 10 adults with ADHD.
Medications
Believe it or not, sometimes the extreme ADHD mood cycles are caused by ADHD medication usually used to treat the condition.
The first-line treatment for many people with ADHD, if appropriate, is methylphenidate or amphetamine-derived medications called stimulants. Unfortunately, a known
Co-existing Mood Disorders and Other Mental Health Conditions
Heightened emotions can also be a result of co-existing (comorbid) conditions. Some of the mental health conditions that can present with extreme mood changes include:
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders (e.g.,
bipolar disorder and depression [4*] ) - Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety disorders get a special mention, as
Emotions might shoot from normal to extremely happy, angry, or aggressive and crash to tearful and hopeless.
Females with ADHD are more likely to have comorbid mental health conditions than their male counterparts. This is because they present
Because of this “quieter presentation,” women with ADHD tend to mask their inattentive symptoms, which can:
- Affect their mental well-being
- Lead to
ADHD only being diagnosed later in life [7*]
This uncontrolled ADHD and possible comorbid anxiety and depression might contribute to mood swings in women with ADHD in adulthood.
Now that you understand why, let’s look at how ADHD mood swings might present.
The Impact of Mood Swings
Mood swings in adults can be seen as unacceptable, and unfortunately, there can be harmful consequences in different areas of life:
- Work: For adults with ADHD, often bursting into tears or losing their temper at work may result in disciplinary hearings, resentful colleagues, or even job loss.
- Relationships at Home: Even if family members or loved ones are aware of an ADHD diagnosis, frequent mood swings are exhausting to deal with. Inevitably, relationships will become strained.
- Self-perception: These extreme mood shifts also cause the person with ADHD to experience difficulties with themselves. If mood swings lead to destructive behavior, the individual may feel embarrassed or regretful. Feeling ‘bad’ or out of control may chip away at their self-esteem or confidence.
So, is there any way to reduce the severity of the mood swings or stop them altogether?
This points to one of the many reasons why it’s important to seek care if you believe that you have ADHD. Its symptoms go much beyond that of task completion and focus, and often have great implications into relational health and well-being. "
How to Deal With ADHD Mood Swings: 7 Strategies
A great way to control ADHD mood swings is by using coping skills that reduce stress and by making lifestyle changes.
1. Regular Exercise
Physical exercise is a promising
2. Spending Time Outdoors
Getting outdoors is a potential natural treatment and helps in two ways. Firstly, green zones like parks and forests are known to help with anxiety and possibly ADHD symptoms. Secondly, getting into sunlight helps to set your sleep/wake clock, giving you a better sleep quality.
3. Nutritious Diet
Let’s consider the role of diet in ADHD mood swings. It makes sense that a balanced diet is essential for the brain and general physical health. People with ADHD, compared to non-ADHD individuals, are prone to weight gain and should limit sugars and simple carbohydrates. Being overweight might contribute to poor self-image and increase rejection-sensitive dysphoria.
There are theories that certain foods, like sugar, might trigger ADHD, and this is where the few-foods diet comes in. This cuts most foods from the diet and, after a time, introduces them back one by one, looking for the dietary trigger. In a study, 6 out of 10 children showed improvement, so if you think your ADHD is linked to diet, this might be worth looking into.
4. Healthy Sleep
Sleep problems, such as disrupted or inadequate sleep, are believed to
5. Journaling
Seeing your feelings on paper helps you to process them. If you understand what is causing your mood change, controlling your emotions and slowing down the swing is easier. Another benefit of journaling is that it might highlight specific mood swing triggers.
6. Knowing Your Triggers
Recognizing and avoiding your triggers while you investigate treatment options is a great way to control ADHD mood swings.
7. Mindfulness
Being mindful means purposefully concentrating on your emotions at one moment in time without judgment. Next, you learn to change those feelings by breathing and relaxing, giving you control back.
However, if you are experiencing mood swings that are interfering with your well-being and daily life, you should speak to a healthcare professional. With MEDvidi’s online ADHD treatment, you can connect with an experienced provider who will assess your symptoms and create a personalized plan to help you manage ADHD and its emotional effects.
Healthcare Provider-Guided Treatment
Your healthcare provider will choose a treatment plan focused on managing both ADHD and, if you have any, comorbid conditions causing mood swings. Usually, this plan will involve therapy, medication, or both.
Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) works to help people with ADHD who are experiencing mood swings. Thoughts influence mood, and mood influences behavior, so CBT teaches you to change your feelings about a thought, which changes behavior. Then, negative thoughts are viewed differently, resulting in neutral or positive responses to them.
Medication
In the case of severe mood swings, medication management is usually needed. Your healthcare provider will look at whether you only have ADHD or other mental health conditions as well.
The first-line medications for ADHD are stimulants, which can, unfortunately, increase anxiety in some patients. But don’t worry; there are alternatives called non-stimulants. And if you have co-existing mood or anxiety disorders, your medical provider might add antidepressants.
In Conclusion
The best way to get rid of intrusive thoughts, if they are interfering with your quality of life, is to talk to a healthcare professional. They can assess your symptoms, rule out underlying conditions, or confirm a diagnosis of OCD, PTSD, anxiety disorder, or depression. You can see a licensed healthcare provider and go through such an assessment within just 24 hours by booking an appointment at MEDvidi.
FAQs
Does ADHD cause unstable moods?
Are mood swings a symptom of ADHD?
Mood swings are commonly associated symptoms of ADHD, although they are not needed for diagnosing ADHD.
What triggers ADHD mood swings?
What do ADHD mood swings look like?
ADHD mood swings are any extreme change in emotions from one moment to the next, that might manifest just as intense feelings, or as inappropriate behavior, or changes in energy levels. For example, but not limited to:
- Joy (feeling energized) and sadness (feeling exhausted)
- Anger (aggressive outburst) and regret (completely isolating yourself)
- Hopelessness and excitement
- Neutral and irritable
How long do ADHD mood swings last?
How long an ADHD mood swing lasts will be different for everyone and will vary depending on the severity of ADHD, the effectiveness of treatment, life circumstances, mood triggers, and co-existing conditions.
