What Does Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Look Like in People with ADHD? By William Dodson, M.D.

By William Dodson, M.D.

 

Reviewed by William Dodson, M.D., a member of ADDitude’s ADHD Specialists Panel.

What Does Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Look Like in People with ADHD?

https://www.additudemag.com/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-adhd-symptom-test/

What Does Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Look Like in People with ADHD?

Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is an intense emotional response caused by the perception that you have disappointed others in your life and that, because of that disappointment, they have withdrawn their love, approval, or respect. The same painful reaction can occur when you fail or fall short of your rather high goals and expectations. RSD commonly occurs with ADHD, and causes extreme emotional pain that plagues both children and adults — even when no actual rejection has taken place.
RSD is difficult for people with ADHD to describe, but all who have it agree that it feels awful. Indeed, the term dysphoria is literally Greek for “unbearable.” Often those with RSD hide these intense emotional reactions from other people, and feel ashamed of their vulnerability. The condition often triggers a profound and wide-reaching sense of failure, as though the person with RSD hasn’t measured up to personal or external expectations.
Could RSD be the cause of your strong emotional responses? Take the results of this self-test to a trained ADHD professional to discuss your options for managing symptoms

--By William Dodson, M.D.