Emotional regulation relates to an individual’s ability to effectively recognise and respond to emotions. It is “the process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express their feelings”.

Emotional regulation can be “automatic or controlled, conscious or unconscious, and may have effects at one or more points in the emotion producing process.” (Gross, 1998). As human beings, we all need to be able to regulate ourselves. Difficulties with emotional regulation can impact a person’s mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.

Common difficulties associated with emotional regulation challenges include experiencing emotions more intensely than others, taking a long time to calm down when upset, seemingly minor stressors triggering strong emotional reactions and difficulty controlling impulsive behaviour driven by emotions and emotional outbursts.

Some people find it harder to identify their emotions and may have a condition called alexithymia.
Alexithymia is the inability to recognise and describe one’s own emotions, causing difficulties in emotional processing. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people with Autism have alexithymia.

People with autism who also have alexithymia often find it harder to identify and describe feelings, find it challenging when distinguishing between feelings and bodily sensations (interoception), have difficulties with identifying facial expressions and experience difficulties with identifying and remembering faces. If you have alexithymia, you may not experience all these symptoms, and some areas might be more impaired than others.

It is important for us to experience a range of emotions and there are no “good” and “bad” emotions. Occupational Therapists can support individuals to better understand their emotions and be more aware of the feelings they are experiencing. Individuals can be supported to identify practical strategies to help improve their ability to regulate their emotions.