Whether it’s getting ghosted after a date or realizing you weren’t invited to a friend’s party, rejection stings. But for some people, it hits way harder: sudden anger, tears, shame, or all-consuming emotional pain that feels impossible to get over. Those people aren’t just “too sensitive” or “overly dramatic.” There’s a real term for what they’re experiencing: Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD).
While RSD isn’t an official clinical diagnosis, that doesn’t make it any less real for people who live it, according to research in PLOS One. RSD is often linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but just about anyone can be affected by it. Ahead, psychology experts explain the science behind RSD, how to spot it, and how to cope with rejection.
Meet the experts: Sasha Hamdani, MD, is a psychiatrist, ADHD clinical specialist, and author of Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply. Janice Castro, PhD, is a California-based psychologist and founder of J.C. The reaction is often much bigger than the event that caused it.
When you have RSD, even a mild interaction like a friend not responding to a text can trigger overwhelming feelings of shame, sadness, anger, or inadequacy, Dr. Some people may feel hurt if their friend didn’t respond to a text, while others may not even think about it. A person with RSD might feel all-consuming emotional pain or distress that seems unbearable as they wait for a reply.
RSD isn’t recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the official manual psychologists use to diagnose people with mental health conditions. That just means that it’s not an official diagnosis—but experts still find it important to recognize and understand. Janice Castro, PhD, a California-based psychologist and founder of J.C.
Psychological Services, has seen RSD in her own work with clients—especially those with ADHD—and says that more therapists are starting to use the term. The RSD conversation is important because it gives many people a name for an experience they previously didn’t have words for, Castro says. The more therapists and the general public talk about RSD, the closer we get to having more tools and strategies people can use to navigate their experience.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
