Behavioral Impacts of Emotional Dysregulation Victoria Choate LCSW

Behavioral Impacts of Emotional Dysregulation Victoria Choate, LCSW May 2018

LCSW in the state of Utah Introduction Dialectical Behavior Therapy Mindfulness Emotional Dysregulation

Emotional Dysregulation Biosocial Theory of Emotional Dysregulation Behavioral Impact of Emotional Dysregulation Overview Wise Mind Model Distress Tolerance Skills Temperature Intense Aerobic Exercise Paced Breathing Paired Muscle Relaxation

Emotional Dysregulation Refers to the inability of a person to control or regulate their emotional responses to provocative stimuli. An emotional response that is poorly modulated. Emotional response that does not fall within conventionally accepted ranges of emotional response. The inability to flexibly respond to and manage emotions.

Major Depressive Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorders Borderline Personality Disorders Bipolar I & II Disorders Emotional Dysregulation Post Traumatic Stress Disorders Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis consistently indicate a high prevalence of domestic violence in men and women across all diagnostic categories, compared to people without mental health disorders.

100 80 Emotional Dysregulation 60 40 2. Intense Emotional Response (experience emotions intensely) 3. Slow Return to Baseline (takes longer for emotions to resolve) 20 0 1. Sensitive to Emotional Stimuli (emotions triggered/prompted easily)

Biological Dysfunction in the Emotion Regulation System Biosocial Theory of Emotional Dysregulation Invalidating Environment Pervasive Emotion Dysregulation

Behavioral Impact Wise Mind Model Reason Mind Wise Mind Emotional Mind

Factual Logical Cause and effect No values reside here Task oriented Reason Mind Science & math are calculated here Easier to be in Reason Mind if you are well rested Problems with Reason Mind Relationships can suffer Lack of empathy/validation Dismissive of emotions Ineffective behaviors resulting from reasonable mind?

Emotions are in control Emotions crowd out reason Experience extremes & often feels unbalanced Impulsive behaviors come from emotional mind Values reside here Opinions come from this state of mind Emotional Mind Intensity & Passion Compassion & Empathy Facts are often distorted Focused on short-term benefits Assumptions are made from this state of mind Emotions control behavior If not well rested, it is easy to react from emotional mind Ineffective behaviors resulting from emotional mind?

Synthesis of Opposites Everyone has and can access wise mind Place for problem solving & conflict resolution Place we know and experience truth in the moment Open mindedness Wise Mind Flexibility Regulates the intensity of emotions Similar to intuition Described as peaceful in the mind and body Goals reside here Effective behaviors resulting from wise mind?

100 80 Emotional Dysregulation 60 40 2. Intense Emotional Response (experience emotions intensely) 3. Slow Return to Baseline (takes longer for emotions to resolve) 20 0 1. Sensitive to Emotional Stimuli (emotions triggered/prompted easily)

Emotion Mind to Wise Mind Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) Fight or Flight Heart-rate increases Breathing gets faster Muscles tighten Digestion slows Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) Rest and Relax Slows heart-rate Breathing returns to normal Muscles relax Digestion increases

Emotions are physiological experiences that result in a behavioral outcome. Distress Tolerance Skills Some behaviors resulting from SNS activation are effective (jumping out of the way of a moving car). Some behaviors resulting from SNS activation are ineffective (self -harming). DT Skills activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Distress Tolerance Skills Temperature Intense Aerobic Exercise Paced Breathing Paired Muscle Relaxation

Temperature COLD WATER CAN WORK WONDERS When you submerge your full face into cold water and hold your breath, it tells your brain that you are diving underwater. This causes what science has labeled “The Dive Response” to occur It may take 15 -30 seconds to start. Heart-rate slows, blood flow to nonessential organs is reduced, and blood flow is redirected to the brain and heart. Awareness is immediately brought to the present moment. The dive response supports re-engagement of the pre-frontal cortex/wise mind.

Intense Aerobic Exercise Emotions prepare the body for action. Instead of acting impulsively on an emotional urge, we expend stored up physical energy by using intense aerobic exercise. Re-regulating the body and reducing emotional intensity. 20 minute period.

Paced Breathing Creating a rhythmic breathing pattern engages the parasympathetic nervous system. Breathe out more slowly than you breathe in. Breathing deeply, using diaphragm. Average pace is 5 seconds in, 7 seconds out.

The pairing of muscle relaxation and exhaling. Paired Muscle Relaxation While breathing into your belly deeply tense your body muscles (not so much as to cause cramping). Notice the tension in your body. While breathing out, relax different muscle groups.

Questions

Gratefully: Victoria Choate, LCSW victoriachoatelcsw@gmail. com 801. 906. 0525 LINEHAN, M. M. (2015). DBT SKILLS TRAINING MANUAL (2 nd ed. ). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.