A condition characterized by excessive emotional reactions and frequent mood changes. It is often seen in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, brain injury, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or borderline personality disorder.
Emotional lability refers to a pattern of emotional changes from normal mood to states characterized by irritability, depression, anxiety, or aggression (also referred to in the psychological and psychiatric literature as emotion dysregulation, emotional incontinence, and a lack of ego control). Intense emotional and behavioral reactions to stressful events are common and may last several hours. In addition, emotionally labile individuals have greater variability in their secretion of stress hormones. Rather than representing a distinct psychological diagnosis itself, emotional lability refers to a general pattern of behavior that is characteristic of a range of psychological disorders, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders (particularly borderline personality disorder), and the disruptive behavior disorders seen in children and adolescents.
Excessive emotional reactivity associated with frequent changes or swings in emotions and mood.