dysregulation
System losing balance
Dysregulation is the impairment or loss of normal regulatory control over a biological or psychological process.
The term appears most often in medical and psychological contexts: emotional dysregulation, immune dysregulation, dysregulation of blood sugar.
A dysregulated system responds inappropriately—too much, too little, or at the wrong times.
The prefix dys- signals malfunction rather than complete absence.
Lack of proportion
- dysfunctionAbnormal or unhealthy operation
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- perturbationState of being unsettled
disequilibrium · breakdown · impairment · malfunction · disturbance · misalignment · deviation · abnormality
Biological internal stability maintenance
- glucosePrimary cellular fuel
- insulinPancreatic glucose-regulating hormone
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
- cortisolAdrenal steroid regulating stress
hormones · circadian · endocrine · metabolism · autonomic · sympathetic · parasympathetic · hypothalamus
Neurodevelopmental focus impairment
- autismNeurodevelopmental processing difference
- PTSDChronic reaction to horrific events
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
- bipolarHaving two opposite poles
anxiety · depression · OCD · psychopathology · neurodevelopmental · therapy · treatment · diagnosis
Produce change upon
- moodPrevailing emotional condition
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- irritabilityProneness to agitation
- reactivityTendency to chemically combine
outbursts · meltdowns · impulsivity · lability · tantrums · volatility · overwhelm · agitation
Self-regulating without awareness
- vagalOf the tenth cranial nerve
- sympatheticFeeling others' emotions
- parasympatheticNerve system promoting rest
- hyperactivationExcessive triggering of response
arousal · fight-or-flight · freeze · dorsal · ventral · tone · amygdala · limbic
imbalance
Lack of proportion
- dysfunctionAbnormal or unhealthy operation
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
perturbation · disequilibrium · breakdown · impairment · malfunction · disturbance · misalignment · deviation · abnormality · deficit
homeostasis
Biological internal stability maintenance
- glucosePrimary cellular fuel
- insulinPancreatic glucose-regulating hormone
- thermoregulationMaintaining stable internal heat
cortisol · hormones · circadian · endocrine · metabolism · autonomic · sympathetic · parasympathetic · hypothalamus · feedback
ADHD
Neurodevelopmental focus impairment
- autismNeurodevelopmental processing difference
- PTSDChronic reaction to horrific events
- borderlineEdge of acceptability
bipolar · anxiety · depression · OCD · psychopathology · neurodevelopmental · therapy · treatment · diagnosis · symptoms
affect
Produce change upon
- moodPrevailing emotional condition
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- irritabilityProneness to agitation
reactivity · outbursts · meltdowns · impulsivity · lability · tantrums · volatility · overwhelm · agitation · distress
autonomic
Self-regulating without awareness
- vagalOf the tenth cranial nerve
- sympatheticFeeling others' emotions
- parasympatheticNerve system promoting rest
hyperactivation · arousal · fight-or-flight · freeze · dorsal · ventral · tone · amygdala · limbic · sensory
- chaosmayhem, chaotic, pandemonium, bedlam, turmoil
- emotional volatilitymood swings, lability, volatility, ups and downs, highs and lows
- psychobabbletriggered, gaslighting, toxic, trauma bond, narcissist
- Mental Disordersschizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD
- traumaabuse, abandonment, abandonment trauma, acute stress, amnesia
- Control Issuesmicromanage, control freak, helicopter parenting, obsessive, compulsive
dysregulationregulation
Official rules governing conduct
homeostasis · equilibrium · autoregulation · hormonal balance · balance
dysregulationorder
Methodical arrangement or request
stability · harmony · coordination · steady state · coherence
dysregulationemotional regulation
Managing internal feeling states
self-regulation · emotional control · emotional stability · composure · equanimity
- emotional dysregulationPoor control over feelings
regulate, regulation, regulated, regulating, regulator, regulatory, unregulated, deregulation, deregulate