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🧬 Abnormal control 😢 Trouble managing emotions ⚠️ Loss of control
dysregulation

dysregulation

1 9.0
Difficulty controlling strong emotions or body reactions
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪsˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪʃən/
  • Specialized
: disregulación emocional
  • Children with emotional dysregulation often have difficulty managing their reactions in stressful situations.
  • emotional dysregulation
  • behavioral dysregulation

For example, their dysregulation and rage are not as scary.

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Examples

  • Higher scores in the externalizing, internalizing, and dysregulation domains indicate more behavior problems, whereas higher scores in the social-emotional competence domain indicate better behavior.

    Academic text (2012)

  • For example, greater depression, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation were associated with lower overall alliance.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Again, behavioral dysregulation was negatively related to risk perception.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Behavioral dysregulation was negatively associated with the odds of perceived risk of illicit substance use, but not inhalant use.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Weight gain can result from elevated depressive symptoms as a result of increased sedentary behavior, increased appetite, or sleep dysregulation, which are three main symptoms of depression.

    Academic text (2013)

  • As children who experience sexual or physical abuse are in a state of constant emotional dysregulation and do not yet have the skills necessary to regulate these intense emotional experiences, they may engage in self-injury in an attempt to regulate strong emotions (Levenkron, 1998).

    Academic text (2006)

  • The therapist explained that emotional dysregulation can lead to outbursts and mood swings.

  • After the trauma, she struggled with persistent dysregulation of her emotional responses.

Synonyms

disinhibition
vsdysregulation
  • Specialized
1 8.2

Less control by the brain and nerves that causes sudden body reactions or unwanted movements

refers to general inability to manage emotional or bodily responses, not only neurological loss
oversensitivity
vsdysregulation
1 5.8

A tendency to react too strongly to criticism or small problems

is about inability to control responses rather than only strong reactions
overexcitability
vsdysregulation
  • Specialized
8.2

A strong, often overwhelming sensitivity to feelings, sounds, or events

focuses on lack of control over responses rather than mere high sensitivity

Antonyms

self-control
58 3.3

Being able to stop yourself from acting on strong feelings or wants when it is hard

Surface Forms

dysregulation singular
dysregulations plural

Morphology

dysregulation = regulation (semi-transparent) = dys + regulate + ion

Formed by adding 'dys-' to 'regulation'; emotional/physiological sense follows from the parts but the prefix is specialized.

Etymology

Dysregulation combines dys- ('bad' or 'difficult') with regulation ('control' or 'rule'), the same root you see in regular. That's why emotional dysregulation means having trouble controlling feelings or calming your body after you get upset.