Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD): A Common Experience for Neurodivergent Individuals Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a term often used to describe an intense emotional response to perceived or anticipated rejection. It's not officially recognised as a diagnosis, but it's a very real and challenging experience for many, particularly within the neurodivergent community. RSD can manifest in various ways, including: 1️⃣ Intense emotional pain: Feeling deeply hurt or wounded by even minor slights or criticisms. 2️⃣ Fear of rejection: Constantly worrying about being rejected by others, leading to avoidance behaviours. 3️⃣ People-pleasing: Trying to anticipate and meet everyone's needs to avoid rejection. 4️⃣ Emotional outbursts: Reacting strongly to perceived rejection, sometimes with anger or tears. 5️⃣ Rumination: Dwelling on past rejections and replaying them in your mind. For neurodivergent individuals, RSD can be exacerbated by: 1️⃣ Social communication challenges: Misinterpreting social cues or struggling with social interactions. 2️⃣ Sensory sensitivities: Feeling overwhelmed in social situations, leading to increased anxiety and vulnerability. 3️⃣ Past experiences of rejection: Previous negative experiences can create a heightened sensitivity to future rejections. Understanding RSD is crucial for building self-compassion and developing coping strategies. It's important to remember that: 1️⃣ Your feelings are valid: RSD is a real and understandable experience. 2️⃣ You are not alone: Many neurodivergent individuals experience RSD. 3️⃣ You can learn to manage it: Therapy, mindfulness techniques, and self-advocacy can be helpful. Here are some actionable steps you can take to cope with RSD: 1️⃣ Challenge Negative Thoughts: When you feel rejected, try to identify and challenge the negative thoughts that contribute to your distress. Are they based on facts or assumptions? 2️⃣ Reframe Rejection: Try to view perceived rejection as information, not a judgment of your worth. Sometimes, it's about the other person's limitations, not your flaws. 3️⃣ Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a friend. Acknowledge your pain without judgment. 4️⃣ Communicate Your Needs: Let trusted friends, family, or colleagues know about your sensitivity to rejection. This can help them understand and support you. Let's talk openly about RSD to reduce stigma and build a more supportive community. Share your experiences and coping strategies in the comments. #Neurodiversity #RSD #MentalHealth #RejectionSensitiveDysphoria #SelfCompassion #Neurodivergent #adhd #autism #management #leadership

Watching my own video about RSD is hard for my ADHD brain, so I understand if it watching this is difficult to pay attention to. For context, the start of the stream my whole plan got disrupted by...

Rejection sensitivity dysphoria can severely impact our lives. In this article, learn how to deal with rejection sensitivity dysphoria.

Rejection sensitive dysphoria is when you experience overwhelming emotional pain when faced with failure or rejection. It’s very common with ADHD and is treatable.

Rejection sensitive dysphoria is one manifestation of emotional dysregulation, a common but misunderstood and under-researched symptom of ADHD in adults. Individuals with RSD feel “unbearable” pain as a result of perceived or actual rejection, teasing, or criticism that is not alleviated with cognitive or dialectical behavior therapy.

For people with ADHD or ADD, rejection sensitive dysphoria can mean extreme emotional sensitivity and emotional pain — and it may imitate mood disorders with suicidal ideation and manifest as instantaneous rage at the person responsible for causing the pain. Learn more about ways to manage RSD here.