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When an adolescent with ADHD becomes enraged when a parent refuses him use of the car, for example, his extreme response may be due to "flooding" — a momentary emotion that can gobble up all of the space in his head just like a computer virus can gobble up all of the space on a hard drive. This focus on one emotion crowds out other important information that might help him modulate his anger and regulate his behavior.

[Free Guide: 10 Ways to Neutralize Your Child's Anger]