Children with ADHD, like children with Asperger's syndrome, sometimes have a hard time shifting from one activity to another. This can lead to explosive meltdowns when a child with ADHD is asked to stop doing something he enjoys. Kids with this condition also react poorly to unforeseen events and changes in schedule.
Telling someone that they only focus on what they want to implies that they're simply choosing not to focus on certain tasks, which is untrue, Halpern adds. What's more, people with ADHD don't necessarily want to hyperfocus, says Thompson.
Avoid disciplining with anger.
So, it's important to stay calm when you discipline and keep the focus on correcting the behavior. In fact, research shows that cutting back on yelling and harsh punishment can make a big difference in how kids with ADHD behave.
While many children have tantrums at some point, it is especially common for children with ADHD to feel irritable. They may have trouble concentrating at school, managing their emotions, or controlling impulses, all of which can cause anger and frustration.
Increased anxiety: Yelling may trigger a “fight or flight” response, aggravating ADHD symptoms. Diminished self-esteem: Chronic exposure to harsh words could cause a decline in self-worth and self-confidence.
Similarly, people with ADHD can also experience 'meltdowns' more commonly than others, which is where emotions build up so extremely that someone acts out, often crying, angering, laughing, yelling and moving all at once, driven by many different emotions at once – this essentially resembles a child tantrum and can ...
Sensory overload can trigger meltdowns easily, especially when we cannot do something about it. When we are faced with intense or too much external stimuli, breakdowns can be hard to avoid.
Go outside and go for a walk and take in some deep breaths. Some kids find drawing or painting to be soothing. Drawing or writing about their thoughts and feelings can be very helpful in the moment and later for problem solving. Many people find that listening to music is calming.
Irritability can be a common experience for children and adults with ADHD. Causes of ADHD-related irritability can include feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated, relationship issues, lack of support, lack of sleep, stress, and in some cases, amphetamine-derived medication, such as Adderall.
Because ADHD symptoms include difficulty with attention regulation, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can affect planning, organizing, and managing behavior, many children with ADHD struggle with change.
You can inherit genes that boost risk for ADHD from your mother, from your father or from both parents. In a recent Norwegian study, inherited risk was somewhat higher when a child's mother had ADHD compared to their father, but researchers weren't certain why that would be.
The Emotional Side of ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can trigger certain emotions. For example, you might feel guilty or ashamed because of the way you think other people see you. You may get stressed if your loved ones say you don't listen and you feel you've let them down in some way.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
Hyperactivity (talks a lot, fidgets, always on the go, etc.) Impulsivity (blurts out, interrupts, lies, angry outbursts, difficulty waiting, etc.) Inattention (forgetful, loses things, disorganized, makes careless mistakes, etc.)
Identify your anger triggers.
Know the situations that make you angry so you can be ready to take a deep breath, pause, and respond in a calm and relaxed manner. Remind your ADHD brain to focus on your breath, relax your muscle tension and think pleasant and positive thoughts.
For many obvious reasons, ADHD-challenged relationships tend to teem with arguments and conflicts. Especially when neither partner knows ADHD is in the mix!
Your child may also think the task is repetitive or boring. All of this may result in a tantrum or argument. They believe that their tantrum is warranted because they are frustrated. Often times they don't feel as if there is any other option than to explode with anger.