ADHD | Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria 😩

Summary

This video discusses Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), a lesser-known but significant emotional side effect of ADHD. RSD is characterized by intense negative emotions triggered by perceived rejection or judgment, possibly due to the ADHD brain's reduced ability to regulate emotions. It can lead to heightened sensitivity to criticism, feelings of embarrassment, guilt, and shame, and a tendency to assume the worst in social situations. The video suggests that while RSD is not officially recognized in the DSM-5, individuals struggling with it might benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy and learning emotional coping mechanisms.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a significant but under-recognized side effect of ADHD, characterized by intense emotional reactions to perceived negative judgments by others.
• 🌪 RSD is linked to emotional dysregulation in ADHD, where emotions can feel more intense due to the impact of ADHD on the brain's limbic system and anterior cingulate cortex.
• 🧩 The anterior cingulate cortex in individuals with ADHD is often smaller and less active, contributing to difficulties in inhibiting and controlling emotions, which may explain RSD's occurrence.
• 🤔 RSD can manifest in various social situations and does not require direct rejection; indirect cues can be perceived as judgmental and trigger RSD.
• 🔽 People with ADHD and RSD may have lower self-esteem due to a lifetime of criticism, which can exacerbate emotional sensitivity and RSD symptoms.
• 🚫 RSD can make individuals overly sensitive to criticism, even constructive feedback, as they struggle to separate emotions from the intent behind the criticism.
• 😖 RSD can lead to feelings of embarrassment, guilt, shame, and a tendency to be hard on oneself, often assuming negative intentions from others.
• 🤯 The condition can cause excessive agitation, disappointment, and idealism, with a tendency to assume the worst in social interactions and relationships.
• 🔄 RSD involves rumination, where individuals dwell on past experiences or potential future rejections, leading to anxiety and sleep disturbances.
• 🍋 RSD can also result in feelings of jealousy and exclusion, as individuals perceive others receiving more acknowledgment or attention.
• 🏆 RSD can create a fear of not meeting personal or societal expectations, often leading to high standards that interfere with logical reasoning and decision-making.
• 🤝 RSD can lead to people-pleasing behaviors, which can be detrimental as individuals constantly chase approval and struggle to maintain their self-worth.
• 🏥 While RSD is not officially recognized in the DSM-5, individuals experiencing severe RSD symptoms may benefit from psychiatric consultation and cognitive behavioral therapy tailored to ADHD.

Q & A

What is Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)?

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is an intensely negative emotional reaction in response to the perception of a negative judgment by others. It is a classic sign of ADHD and can manifest in various social situations based on perceived judgment.

How does ADHD affect emotional regulation?

ADHD affects emotional regulation by impacting the limbic system, which controls emotional regulation components such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala. In ADHD brains, the anterior cingulate is usually smaller and less active, leading to a decreased ability to inhibit and control emotions.

What role does the limbic system play in RSD?

The limbic system, particularly the anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala, is responsible for emotional regulation. In individuals with ADHD, the anterior cingulate is often smaller and less active, which can contribute to the development of RSD.

Why are people with ADHD more susceptible to RSD?

People with ADHD are more susceptible to RSD due to their brain's decreased ability to inhibit and control emotions, leading them to feel emotions more intensely and react negatively to perceived judgments or rejections.

What are some common emotional responses associated with RSD?

Common emotional responses associated with RSD include intense embarrassment, guilt, shame, disappointment, agitation, and a tendency to assume the worst of people.

How does RSD affect a person's social interactions?

RSD can make a person overly sensitive to criticism, even if it's constructive, and lead to feelings of rejection, jealousy, and exclusion. This can result in social anxiety, avoidance of social situations, and difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.

What is the relationship between RSD and rumination?

Rumination is a form of excessive worry and dwelling on past experiences, which is often exacerbated by RSD. Individuals with RSD may spend hours worrying about potential rejections or negative outcomes based on past experiences.

How can RSD impact a person's self-esteem?

RSD can compound a person's self-esteem issues by making them overly sensitive to criticism and perceived judgments, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a belief that they are constantly failing to meet expectations.

What are some coping mechanisms for managing RSD?

Coping mechanisms for managing RSD can include cognitive behavioral therapy, learning to manage emotions, and possibly seeking medications that help regulate mood. It's essential to develop strategies to control responses and mediate emotional reactions.

Is RSD recognized as an official disorder in the DSM-5?

No, RSD is not yet an official disorder listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders (DSM-5). It is a relatively new label that is only now starting to be researched in depth.

What advice does the speaker give for those struggling with RSD?

The speaker suggests consulting a psychiatrist for possible medications and seeking cognitive behavioral therapy from a specialized ADHD psychotherapist. Developing coping mechanisms and managing emotions are crucial for adults with ADHD.

Outlines

00:00

😖 Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in ADHD

This paragraph delves into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), a significant but under-recognized emotional side effect of ADHD. RSD is characterized by an intense negative emotional reaction to perceived negative judgment from others. The speaker explains that the limbic system, responsible for emotional regulation, is less active in individuals with ADHD, which may contribute to RSD. The condition can manifest in various social situations and can be exacerbated by a history of criticism, leading to lowered self-esteem. RSD can make individuals overly sensitive to criticism, prone to intense feelings of embarrassment, guilt, and shame, and may result in a tendency to assume the worst of others' intentions. The speaker also discusses the impact of RSD on self-perception and the potential for it to cause social anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

05:01

🤔 Coping with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Adulthood

The second paragraph addresses the challenges of managing RSD in adulthood, particularly for those with ADHD. The speaker notes that RSD is a newly researched condition not yet listed in the DSM-5. They suggest that while medication might help regulate mood, cognitive behavioral therapy from an ADHD-specialized psychotherapist is likely more beneficial in learning coping mechanisms. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of daily efforts to overcome emotional challenges associated with ADHD and RSD. The speaker invites viewers to share their experiences with RSD in the comments and encourages them to like, subscribe, and look forward to future content.

Keywords

💡ADHD

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In the context of the video, ADHD is linked to the experience of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) as individuals with ADHD may have heightened emotional responses and struggle with emotional regulation.

💡Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is described in the video as an intense negative emotional reaction to perceived negative judgment by others. It is a concept that is gaining attention in relation to ADHD, as it is suggested to be a 'dead giveaway' of the condition. The script illustrates RSD through examples of how individuals might feel overwhelmed by criticism or perceive indirect rejections.

💡Emotional Dysregulation

Emotional dysregulation refers to difficulties in managing and controlling one's emotions. The video script explains that this is a part of having ADHD, where emotions can hit 'ten times harder' than the average person, which is closely related to RSD and the heightened emotional responses experienced.

💡Limbic System

The limbic system is a part of the brain involved in emotional regulation. The script mentions that in individuals with ADHD, the anterior cingulate cortex and the amygdala, which are part of the limbic system, may be less active, contributing to RSD and difficulties in inhibiting and controlling emotions.

💡Anterior Cingulate Cortex

The anterior cingulate cortex is a region of the brain that plays a role in attention and emotional regulation. The video explains that in the ADHD brain, this area is often smaller and less active, which may lead to a decreased ability to control emotions and thus contribute to RSD.

💡Amygdala

The amygdala is an almond-shaped part of the brain involved in processing emotions. The script suggests that the amygdala's function may be impacted in ADHD, affecting emotional responses and potentially leading to RSD.

💡Perceived Judgment

Perceived judgment is the idea of interpreting someone's actions or words as critical or rejecting, even if that was not the intent. The video script discusses how RSD is triggered by this perception, causing intense emotional reactions that may not be warranted.

💡Constructive Criticism

Constructive criticism is feedback intended to help someone improve by pointing out potential areas of weakness. The video explains that individuals with RSD may struggle to accept even constructive criticism, as they cannot detach their emotions and perceive it as a personal attack.

💡Rumination

Rumination is the act of dwelling on negative thoughts or experiences for an extended period. The script describes how RSD can lead to rumination, where individuals may excessively worry over potential rejections or failures based on past experiences.

💡People Pleaser

A people pleaser is someone who constantly tries to meet everyone's expectations to gain approval. The video script mentions that RSD can lead to being a people pleaser, which can be toxic as it may cause individuals to constantly chase approval and neglect their own needs.

💡Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behavior. The video suggests that seeking CBT from a specialized ADHD psychotherapist can be beneficial for managing RSD and learning coping mechanisms to handle emotional sensitivity.

Highlights

RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) is a prominent but little-known side effect of ADHD.

RSD is considered a classic sign of ADHD when accompanied by other symptoms.

ADHD can make emotions feel more intense, hitting ten times harder than the average person.

Emotional dysregulation is a part of having ADHD, parallel to RSD.

RSD involves an intensely negative emotional reaction to perceived negative judgment by others.

The limbic system, including the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala, controls emotional regulation in the brain.

In ADHD, the anterior cingulate is smaller and less active, leading to decreased emotional control.

RSD can manifest in various social situations based on perceived judgment, not necessarily direct rejection.

ADHD individuals often face criticism, which can compound low self-esteem and emotional sensitivity.

RSD makes individuals sensitive to criticism, even if it's constructive.

ADHD can program individuals to expect the worst and take things more literally.

RSD can lead to feelings of intense embarrassment, guilt, and shame.

RSD can cause individuals to be overly idealistic and assume the worst of people.

Rumination, or dwelling on past experiences, is a common trait in individuals with RSD.

RSD can make individuals excessively fearful about living up to their own and societal expectations.

High expectations and societal pressures can exacerbate RSD in individuals with ADHD.

RSD can lead to a desire to please everyone, potentially labeling individuals as 'people pleasers'.

RSD can cause intense fear of not being liked, leading to social anxiety and avoidance behaviors.

RSD is not yet an official disorder listed in the DSM-5, but is gaining attention in research.

Psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, is recommended for managing RSD.

Learning coping mechanisms to manage emotions is essential for adults with ADHD.

Transcripts

what's up a DHD crew today I'm gonna

talk about our SD or rejection sensitive

dysphoria one of the most prominent but

little-known side effects of ADHD is

something called RSD

and it's actually a classic sign that

you could have it in fact they say it's

a dead giveaway that you could have it

if you have other symptoms as well a lot

of people like myself might have grown

up feeling very overwhelmed I might have

had the belief that life is

exceptionally difficult to deal with

more so than other people the reality is

is the ADHD makes emotions hit you ten

times harder than the average person now

this is in parallel with what's known as

emotional dysregulation which is another

part of having ADHD so what is rejection

sensitive dysphoria anyway simply put

it's an intensely negative emotional

reaction in response to the perception

of a negative judgment by others inside

the brain there's something called the

limbic system which controls the

emotional regulation components such as

the anterior cingulate cortex and the

amygdala in the ADHD brain however the

anterior cingulate is usually around

three to five percent smaller and is far

less active which results in a decreased

ability to inhibit and control emotion

so this may explain why rejection

sensitive dysphoria would occur and this

can reveal itself in many different

forms and in different social situations

it's all about perception it's about the

perceived judgment so it doesn't have to

be a direct rejection as such it can

actually be rather indirect and

interpreted as such and if you've grown

up with ADHD you've likely had a lot of

criticism throughout your life which is

in fact compounded your self-esteem into

even lower depths which only exacerbates

the issue that you have with emotional

sensitivity RSD is likely to make a

person very sensitive to criticism even

if it's meant to be constructive

criticism that person can't really

detach their emotions from the knowledge

that it's meant to be for the wrong

benefit

it doesn't really compute so in a way

ADHD is kind of programmed you to expect

the worst

to take things more literally and more

seriously in fact it feels like a

personal attack on who they are at their

very core in relation to this it can

cause you to feel more prone to feelings

of intense embarrassment guilt and shame

than a person normally would are you

particularly hard on yourself

RSD can leave you frequently

disappointed excessively agitated and

overly idealistic you might assume that

people are doing things to make you feel

bad on purpose you might assume that

they don't like you and you might always

assume the worst of people as an example

this could be perhaps in a social

situation where a person makes a comment

that's slightly blunt that's perceived

to be a jab at you so if you feel

slighted by a person's comment you can

feel kind of rejected and irritated by

that it can just make you really blow

things out of proportion but RSD cannot

also make you fearful in anticipation of

rejection or what you think might happen

from past experiences this is called

rumination where you end up dwelling on

things for hours on end worrying

excessively over things that could

happen even if they have a low chance of

happening I've been doing this all my

life where I've been pacing around the

room or revisiting painful memories at

night when I'm trying to fall asleep and

I'll play over the memory over and over

and over and I'll cringe out loud and

I'll call myself out and cuss and I'll

just dwell on it in another situation

you might feel intensely jealous of

somebody else because you perceive that

they've had a bit more acknowledgement

than you have for something and so you

feel excluded which makes you feel

rejected RSD can make you excessively

fearful about living up to your own

expectations and if you've got ADHD

you're likely to have very high

expectations for yourself because of

societal expectations in return and if

you've been constantly failing to meet

these expectations placed by society

throughout your life for growing up

you're probably going to have this

really high standard and it's going to

interfere with your logic and reasoning

RSD can make you want to please everyone

and try to fulfill everybody's

expectations and you might be labeled as

a people pleaser and this can be very

toxic to your life because you've always

you're always trying to chase the

action and it can ruin you these are

things like intense fear of not being

liked which can lead to social anxiety

and avoiding things because of that

anxiety intense fear of being rejected

in the workplace or a social group

intense fear of being romantically

rejected so you actually avoid making a

move on somebody you're interested in in

the first place out of fear fear of

rejection is pretty darn strong with RSD

when I'm experiencing RSD I often feel

like it's my inner child who hasn't

grown up screaming out in retaliation

but in reality it's involuntary you

can't really control it it's always

going to be there in the back of your

mind but it's up to us to learn how to

control it and to mediate our responses

but it's exceptionally difficult for

adults with ADHD to do this and be like

other adults you know because there's so

much pressure to do everything correctly

when you put ADHD into the mix it just

makes things a lot more stressful

according to Psychology Today

it's a new label that is only now

starting to be researched in depth

individuals who have this condition

respond extremely negatively to the

perception of being rejected it goes far

beyond the run-of-the-mill discomfort

that most of us experience it is not as

of yet however an official disorder

listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Disorders dsm-5 so to finish

off if you've got severe issues with RSD

you might want to consider consulting a

psychiatrist for perhaps medications

that can help regulate your mood but I

would recommend that it's probably best

to seek out cognitive behavioral therapy

from a specialized ADHD psychotherapist

learning coping mechanisms to manage our

emotions is an essential part of being

an adult with ADHD and so we have to

take little steps every day to try and

overcome these issues that we face

because medication alone can't always

fix the issue and that's what I preach

on this channel so let me know in the

comments below what do you hate the most

about RSD what are some experiences that

you've had that have really hurt you

because of your emotions I'd be

interested to know so thanks for

watching and give us a like if you

enjoyed the content

subscribe if you haven't already and

I'll see you next time bye bye