ADHD rage — what it is and 8 ways to cope

If you struggle with anger a lot, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could be the cause. Adults with untreated ADHD can have ADHD rage attacks or ADHD anger. Both can cause irritability and angry outbursts.

This article looks at what ADHD rage is, what triggers it, and offers 8 ways to cope with it to give you a better understanding of what’s happening, why and what you can do.

If you have unexplained anger issues and other symptoms, you may have ADHD. The best way to find out is to talk with a licensed healthcare provider. Find an ADHD provider on Klarity to evaluate your symptoms and help you manage your ADHD rage and other symptoms with a tailored treatment plan and medication if needed.

What does ADHD rage in adults look like?

Characteristic signs of ADHD rage include:

• Often getting upset while completing tedious or repetitive tasks 
• Struggling to switch between jobs or tasks and getting up set if you’re asked to
• Being more irritable during stressful situations 
• Intensely feeling and expressing all emotions — both positive and negative

Maybe you’ve been labeled a “grump” or “hothead” because it seems like you’re constantly in a bad mood or frequently lash out over small things.

How does adult ADHD cause ADHD rage and anger?

According to research, anger is a secondary emotion that follows another initial feeling, such as fear or anxiety. These initial emotions can be uncomfortable and result in feeling vulnerable or helpless. Expressing anger is a way to regain control over a situation.

And feelings can be particularly intense if you have ADHD. 

To add to the challenge, people with ADHD often have what’s called emotional dysregulation, which is difficulty regulating and processing emotions. And the emotions of rage and anger are strong and can be especially difficult to manage. 

Emotional dysregulation combined with other ADHD symptoms — such as difficulty performing sustained tasks and being easily distracted — can lead to a buildup of stress and anxiety that you need to release. And when you do the intensity is known as ADHD rage.

Frustration with ADHD symptoms causes ADHD rage

People with ADHD often want to get organized, develop routines, and keep a regular schedule. These processes being challenging if you have ADHD leads to frustration that can build and cause you to lash out. 

Transitions are difficult for the ADHD brain too. Executive dysfunction makes initiating tasks a challenge, and a tendency to hyper-fixate makes it hard to move from one thing to the next. Being interrupted and asked to switch tasks can also cause intense frustration and ADHD anger.

The role of distraction reactions in ADHD rage

If you have ADHD, you can easily get distracted easily. And distractions have been shown by research to invite feelings of anger and rage. Sensory distractions like background noise or bright lights can cause physical discomfort if you have ADHD and make it challenging to focus on what you need to do.  

Difficulty ignoring distractions can make you feel emotionally and mentally overwhelmed, which increases your irritability and makes it easy to lose your temper.

ADHD rage and relationship issues

ADHD can cause turmoil in relationships with your friends, family, and romantic partner because, from the outside, symptoms like forgetfulness and disorganization look like thoughtlessness or laziness. In reality, if you have ADHD, you’re probably constantly struggling to overcome these internal obstacles and be an attentive, reliable partner, friend, or family member. 

This dynamic can cause tension in your relationships, leading to stress-induced outbursts of ADHD anger. 

ADHD impulsivity and anger

Executive dysfunction and impulsive aggression can make it hard if you have ADHD to regulate your moods, manage emotions, and calm yourself when distressed or angry. And you may be more likely to react to your first impulse rather than take a moment to evaluate the situation before responding. 

Other ADHD rage triggers

You may have difficulty expressing yourself and miss, or misinterpret, others’ emotional cues. These are common symptoms of ADHD and they trigger anger. 

Being misunderstood is annoying at best and infuriating at worst. Struggling to express yourself clearly, only to be misunderstood, can upset you. People with ADHD are also sensitive to rejection and disapproval, making misunderstandings even more intense.

Similarly, ADHD can make it difficult to interpret other peoples’ emotional cues. And this can lead to assumptions and misunderstandings that cause conflict and lead to ADHD anger or rage.

8 ways to cope with ADHD rage and anger as an adult

Though ADHD and rage or anger in adults are closely linked, they’re not inseparable. A handful of methods and treatments can help you manage both the intensity and frequency of ADHD anger and related outbursts.  

1. Talk to a provider about taking an ADHD medication

ADHD medications fall into 2 basic categories: stimulant and non-stimulant. Which type of medication works best varies from person to person and depends on many physiological factors. 

Stimulants, such as Adderall or Ritalin, work by stimulating the brain to produce more norepinephrine and dopamine, raising them to what medical professionals consider normal levels. The result is an increased ability to concentrate on tasks, enabling those with ADHD to regulate their emotions and their reactions to those emotions more easily.

Potential side effects of these drugs include hypertension and acute insomnia.

Medication misuse warning: Caution should be exercised when using ADHD medications, such as stimulant medications like Adderall and Ritalin, as they can potentially lead to dependency. These medications, classified as Schedule II controlled substances, affect neurotransmitters in the brain and can result in a psychological and physical reliance on the drug.

Misuse or prolonged use of higher doses can increase the risk of dependence. Abrupt discontinuation or misuse may cause withdrawal symptoms like fatigue, depression, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. It is important to adhere to the prescribed dosage and duration of treatment and to maintain open communication with a healthcare professional for proper monitoring and guidance throughout the medication regimen.

2. Try an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication for ADHD

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are also helpful in treating ADHD symptoms, such as rage and anger. They fall into 2 basic categories: 

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Both types of medication work by bringing serotonin or norepinephrine levels to an average level in the brain. Like stimulant medications, they help people wite ADHD focus, regulate their moods, and temper their reactions to intense emotions.   

Though these medications can take longer to produce results — sometimes up to a month —t hey have fewer side effects than stimulant medications.

3. Try anger management classes

Anger management classes can teach your techniques to reduce the emotional and physical effects of rage and anger. You can learn to assess the situation and respond rather than react impulsively. 

The goal of these classes isn’t to eliminate anger but to manage how your body and mind respond to it. Topics taught in these classes include:

• Learning to recognize early signs of anger
• Identifying what your anger is telling you
• Recognizing anger triggers
• Learning how to refocus your energy when angry

These classes may help you manage your ADHD rage and anger and learn how to better regulate your emotions overall. 

4. Try ADHD counseling

Various modes of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, work by redirecting unproductive or unhealthy thought patterns. When you engage in a particular way of thinking, it creates pathways in the brain. The longer you use those pathways, the easier they become to navigate. 

Psychotherapy helps you navigate new, healthier thought patterns, which helps alleviate anger linked to ADHD by creating new, healthier habits. Instead of acting on the impulse to shout or throw objects, the new impulse may be to take a deep breath and visualize something calming before speaking.

5. Control your environment 

Controlling your environment goes hand in hand with knowing your ADHD rage triggers. ADHD brains pick up on tiny environmental details that neurotypical brains easily ignore. This means an overabundance of stimuli constantly bombards those with ADHD. 

No one else may notice the squeak in the door to everyone’s favorite conference room, but someone with ADHD does — with painful clarity. Minor annoyances like these add up quickly and lead to overstimulation, irritation, and a higher likelihood of an angry outburst. 

As much as possible, tailor your environment to your comfort level by: 

• Adjusting the temperature or dress to help your body stay at an ideal temperature
• Reducing irritating noises by fixing them or by wearing noise-canceling headphones or earplugs
• Adding blue light filters to your screens or wearing blue light filter glasses
• Using room spray or an essential oil diffuser to make your environment smell pleasant

Get help to calm your ADHD rage and ADHD anger

If you think your anger is linked to ADHD, it’s time to connect with a medical professional. They can evaluate your symptoms and help you manage your anger and ADHD with a personalized treatment plan that may include medication, counseling, and/or lifestyle changes.

Find an ADHD provider today and have an appointment to start finding answers and effective treatment in as little as 24 hours.