What is emotion regulation?

We all have painful emotions at times, this is simply part of being human. The way we manage these emotions, however, changes between people. Emotion regulation refers to the way that we influence, experience, and express our emotions. There are a few factors that make it more difficult for a person to regulate their emotions. These include things like biology, lack of skill, high stress, personal beliefs, and environmental factors that strengthen their behaviour (e.g., they get what they want every time they become aggressive).

The opposite of emotion regulation is emotion dysregulation, which is when emotions run wild and seem to take over. Put simply, if you have problems with anger, you have problems with at least one area of emotion regulation. You may experience anger more intensely or more frequently than others, find it difficult to manage your anger, or respond to anger in extreme ways. In any case, you are likely to benefit greatly from emotion regulation skills. Emotion regulation skills will help you learn how to cope with your anger in new and more zhelpful ways. The overall goal of these skills is not to get rid of your anger, but rather to help you manage it better.