Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow ADHD and Anger are ConnectedOppositional Defiant DisorderHow to Help Your ChildAnger in Adult ADHD

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Table of Contents

How ADHD and Anger are Connected

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

How to Help Your Child

Anger in Adult ADHD

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ADHD and anger can be connected, and somekids with ADHDexperience frequent outbursts of anger. Adults with ADHD may also experience anger and irritability as well. Although common, these intense emotions affect behavior, impact relationships, and strain family life.

Understanding the causes of anger and frustration with ADHD, along with some strategies for managing these intense emotions, can help prevent these short bursts of anger from causinglong-term damage.

Research suggests that emotional dysregulation is common in people with ADHD. Approximately 70% of people with adult ADHD experience dysregulation, although individual experiences may vary.

In children, comorbid conditions such as impulsive aggression and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), as well as medication side effects, may make it more likely that your child will feel bad-tempered, aggressive, impatient, and angry.

Below are some of the most common reasons why kids and adults with ADHD may exhibit angry outbursts:

Impulsivity

11 Anger Management Strategies to Help You Calm Down

Moodiness and Mood Disorders

Moods change very quickly throughout the day when you have ADHD. There can be many episodes of happiness, sadness, and frustration—allin one afternoon.

In addition, people with ADHD experience high rates of comorbid mood disorders that can cause irritability and fuel mood changes and flashes of anger, including:

In adults with ADHD, the most common comorbid conditions include mood, anxiety, substance use, andpersonality disorders.

Frustration

Frustration is an emotion that stems from challenges that stand in the way of goals. The ability to deal with frustration is known asfrustration tolerance. Low tolerance to frustration can mean that people with ADHDfeel frustrated quickly, and this can quickly result in anger outbursts.

How to Deal With Low Frustration Tolerance

Poor Self-Esteem

It’s common for children and adults with ADHD to experiencelow self-esteem.As children, ADHD symptoms can make it difficult for kids to experience academic achievement. It also makes it more challenging for them to make and keep friends, leading to a sense of isolation and lowered self-esteem that can persist into adulthood.

Low self-esteem and feeling anxious about a situation they can’t control can also lead to feelings of anger.

Medication Side Effects

In children, it is not uncommon for kids to experience a difficult period when their stimulant medications are wearing off, resulting in increased meltdowns and tantrums. This is known asmedication reboundand is a result of the speed at which your particular child metabolizes the medication.

Let your doctor know if your child is experiencing medication rebound. Since it tends to occur more frequently with shorter-actingstimulantsthat can move out of your child’s system quickly, your doctor may add a very small dose of immediate-release medicine about an hour before this rebound effect occurs so that the transition off the medicine is smoother.

One double-blind study found that children on stimulants had a reduction in irritability and tantrums after being given the antidepressant Celexa (citalopram).

Excess Energy

Excess energy, or hyperactivity, can present as physical and verbaloveractivity. The energy and restlessness that come along with ADHD may be too much to handle at times until it finally bubbles over into angry words or physical reactions.

What are the Benefits and Challenges of Extra Energy with ADHD?

Approximately one-third of allchildren with ADHDalso have oppositional defiant disorder.Children with ODDdisplay defiant, hostile behaviors towards authority figures.

They often lose their temper, frequently argue with adults, actively defy rules, blame others, deliberately annoy others, are touchy, easily annoyed, and behave in angry, resentful ways overall.

Obviously, some oppositional behaviors are expected in children, and ODD is only diagnosed if the pattern of behavior is significantly more intense and frequent when compared to other children of the same age. If you think your child might have ODD, book an appointment with your pediatrician.

Resources for Parents of Kids With Oppositional Defiant Disorder

As a parent, it can be hard to see your child losing control. While you can’t make the anger disappear, you can help your child better manage these intense emotions. Here are a few tips to help.

Work With Your Child’s Doctor

Working closely with your child’s doctor is crucial to managing your child’s anger. They can prescribe appropriate medication and recommend therapy, special accommodations, social skills, and lifestyle changes.

Keep your child’s doctor informed about medication side effects and what is and isn’t working to help manage your child’s anger.

Encourage Exercise

If anger is an issue for your child, be sure to provide appropriate outlets. Strenuous outdoor play andexercisecan be very powerful releases for children with ADHD.

Running, jumping, skipping, climbing—these basic physical activities will help release some of the tension, restlessness, and extra energy that often accompany ADHD. Make sure your child engages in this type of play daily.

Try Martial Arts

Consider enrolling your child in a martial arts class. Martial arts are an excellent exercise choice for an ADHD child. They help develop self-discipline and self-control, which in turn help with impulsivity. They also improve self-esteem and are a wonderful way to release energy.

Help Your Child Express Emotions

Encourage your child to “use their words” rather than act aggressively. This might be hard for them to begin with because it is a new skill.

However, with practice and a little help from you, it will become easier. Being able to articulate how they are feeling lessens their need to express themselves through anger. For example, “Jimmy took my red car, and I feel mad.”

Notice Patterns

There may be particular times of day when your child’s anger appears to peak. Taking note of any patterns can ensure you’re better prepared to handle these outbursts. For example, you may notice their anger is more intense at these times:

Limit Screen Time

Set Clear, Consistent Rules

Make sure you have clear house rules around behavior. When your child is settled and able to talk, sit down and come up with the rules together. Discuss expectations and consequences for behaviors, including a reward system. Then, once they are in place, stick to them.

Don’t change the rules or create new consequences in the middle of an outburst. Be matter-of-fact: “If that happens, then this is the consequence.” Firm boundaries are helpful for you both. If your child is working with a therapist or counselor, you may want to ask for recommendations for discipline strategies that work well for kids with ADHD.

How to Manage Anger as an Adult With ADHD

If you have adult ADHD and experience frequent feelings of anger, there are strategies that can help you cope.

Final Thoughts

It’s not uncommon for kids or adults with ADHD to lose control of their emotions and struggle with anger. Suppose your child has angry outbursts, especially if these intense emotions interfere with their relationships, education, and quality of life. In that case, it’s essential to teach them the skills they need to deal with their feelings in a healthy way. As an adult, there are also strategies you can use to cope better and keep feelings of anger from interfering with your life and relationships.

Are Rage Rooms Beneficial?

12 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Saylor KE, Amann BH.Impulsive aggression as a comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016;26(1):19-25. doi:10.1089/cap.2015.0126Beheshti A, Chavanon ML, Christiansen H.Emotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):120. doi10.1186/s12888-020-2442-7Singh I.A disorder of anger and aggression: Children’s perspectives on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the UK.Soc Sci Med. 2011;73(6):889-896. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.049Xia W, Shen L, Zhang J.Comorbid anxiety and depression in school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-reported symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression among parents of school-aged children with and without ADHD.Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2015;27(6):356-367. doi:10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.215115Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Mazzone L, Postorino V, Reale L, et al.Self-esteem evaluation in children and adolescents suffering from ADHD.CPEMH. 2013;9(1):96-102. doi:10.2174/1745017901309010096Towbin K, Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, et al.A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of citalopram adjunctive to stimulant medication in youth with chronic severe irritability.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2020;59(3):350-361. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2019.05.015Johnston C, Jassy JS.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct problems: Links to parent-child interactions.J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;16(2):74-79.McIntyre KM, Puterman E, Scodes JM, et al.The effects of aerobic training on subclinical negative affect: A randomized controlled trial.Health Psychol. 2020;39(4):255-264. doi:10.1037/hea0000836Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, Valdivieso I, Leibenluft E, Stringaris A.The status of irritability in psychiatry: A conceptual and quantitative review.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):556-570. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.014Sánchez M, Lavigne R, Romero JF, Elósegui E.Emotion regulation in participants diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, before and after an emotion regulation intervention.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1092. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01092Poissant H, Mendrek A, Talbot N, Khoury B, Nolan J.Behavioral and cognitive impacts of mindfulness-based interventions on adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review.Behav Neurol. 2019;2019:5682050. doi:10.1155/2019/5682050

12 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Saylor KE, Amann BH.Impulsive aggression as a comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016;26(1):19-25. doi:10.1089/cap.2015.0126Beheshti A, Chavanon ML, Christiansen H.Emotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):120. doi10.1186/s12888-020-2442-7Singh I.A disorder of anger and aggression: Children’s perspectives on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the UK.Soc Sci Med. 2011;73(6):889-896. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.049Xia W, Shen L, Zhang J.Comorbid anxiety and depression in school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-reported symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression among parents of school-aged children with and without ADHD.Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2015;27(6):356-367. doi:10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.215115Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Mazzone L, Postorino V, Reale L, et al.Self-esteem evaluation in children and adolescents suffering from ADHD.CPEMH. 2013;9(1):96-102. doi:10.2174/1745017901309010096Towbin K, Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, et al.A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of citalopram adjunctive to stimulant medication in youth with chronic severe irritability.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2020;59(3):350-361. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2019.05.015Johnston C, Jassy JS.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct problems: Links to parent-child interactions.J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;16(2):74-79.McIntyre KM, Puterman E, Scodes JM, et al.The effects of aerobic training on subclinical negative affect: A randomized controlled trial.Health Psychol. 2020;39(4):255-264. doi:10.1037/hea0000836Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, Valdivieso I, Leibenluft E, Stringaris A.The status of irritability in psychiatry: A conceptual and quantitative review.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):556-570. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.014Sánchez M, Lavigne R, Romero JF, Elósegui E.Emotion regulation in participants diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, before and after an emotion regulation intervention.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1092. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01092Poissant H, Mendrek A, Talbot N, Khoury B, Nolan J.Behavioral and cognitive impacts of mindfulness-based interventions on adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review.Behav Neurol. 2019;2019:5682050. doi:10.1155/2019/5682050

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Saylor KE, Amann BH.Impulsive aggression as a comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016;26(1):19-25. doi:10.1089/cap.2015.0126Beheshti A, Chavanon ML, Christiansen H.Emotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):120. doi10.1186/s12888-020-2442-7Singh I.A disorder of anger and aggression: Children’s perspectives on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the UK.Soc Sci Med. 2011;73(6):889-896. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.049Xia W, Shen L, Zhang J.Comorbid anxiety and depression in school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-reported symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression among parents of school-aged children with and without ADHD.Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2015;27(6):356-367. doi:10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.215115Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3Mazzone L, Postorino V, Reale L, et al.Self-esteem evaluation in children and adolescents suffering from ADHD.CPEMH. 2013;9(1):96-102. doi:10.2174/1745017901309010096Towbin K, Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, et al.A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of citalopram adjunctive to stimulant medication in youth with chronic severe irritability.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2020;59(3):350-361. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2019.05.015Johnston C, Jassy JS.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct problems: Links to parent-child interactions.J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;16(2):74-79.McIntyre KM, Puterman E, Scodes JM, et al.The effects of aerobic training on subclinical negative affect: A randomized controlled trial.Health Psychol. 2020;39(4):255-264. doi:10.1037/hea0000836Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, Valdivieso I, Leibenluft E, Stringaris A.The status of irritability in psychiatry: A conceptual and quantitative review.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):556-570. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.014Sánchez M, Lavigne R, Romero JF, Elósegui E.Emotion regulation in participants diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, before and after an emotion regulation intervention.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1092. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01092Poissant H, Mendrek A, Talbot N, Khoury B, Nolan J.Behavioral and cognitive impacts of mindfulness-based interventions on adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review.Behav Neurol. 2019;2019:5682050. doi:10.1155/2019/5682050

Saylor KE, Amann BH.Impulsive aggression as a comorbidity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016;26(1):19-25. doi:10.1089/cap.2015.0126

Beheshti A, Chavanon ML, Christiansen H.Emotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):120. doi10.1186/s12888-020-2442-7

Singh I.A disorder of anger and aggression: Children’s perspectives on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the UK.Soc Sci Med. 2011;73(6):889-896. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.049

Xia W, Shen L, Zhang J.Comorbid anxiety and depression in school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-reported symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression among parents of school-aged children with and without ADHD.Shanghai Arch Psychiatry. 2015;27(6):356-367. doi:10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.215115

Katzman MA, Bilkey TS, Chokka PR, Fallu A, Klassen LJ.Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: Clinical implications of a dimensional approach.BMC Psychiatry. 2017;17(1):302. doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3

Mazzone L, Postorino V, Reale L, et al.Self-esteem evaluation in children and adolescents suffering from ADHD.CPEMH. 2013;9(1):96-102. doi:10.2174/1745017901309010096

Towbin K, Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, et al.A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial of citalopram adjunctive to stimulant medication in youth with chronic severe irritability.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2020;59(3):350-361. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2019.05.015

Johnston C, Jassy JS.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct problems: Links to parent-child interactions.J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007;16(2):74-79.

McIntyre KM, Puterman E, Scodes JM, et al.The effects of aerobic training on subclinical negative affect: A randomized controlled trial.Health Psychol. 2020;39(4):255-264. doi:10.1037/hea0000836

Vidal-Ribas P, Brotman MA, Valdivieso I, Leibenluft E, Stringaris A.The status of irritability in psychiatry: A conceptual and quantitative review.J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):556-570. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.014

Sánchez M, Lavigne R, Romero JF, Elósegui E.Emotion regulation in participants diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, before and after an emotion regulation intervention.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1092. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01092

Poissant H, Mendrek A, Talbot N, Khoury B, Nolan J.Behavioral and cognitive impacts of mindfulness-based interventions on adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review.Behav Neurol. 2019;2019:5682050. doi:10.1155/2019/5682050

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