Do you have Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria?

I've become fascinated with Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria. It explains a lot. do you relate? additudemag.com/rejection-s...

[Its18]

I absolutely relate, I have been looking into this but haven’t been diagnosed. I have always been a people pleaser, I am pretty shy in social situations don’t speak much in public situations( since I have a tendency to miss speak, stutter and stammer) and feel like I don’t have anything to bring to the conversation. I try to avoid conflict at almost all costs (like I’d rather die that deal with it) it produces such anxiety for me. I find myself hiding and trying not to be a burden.

[shotty]

Yep. I've experienced it since I was a kid. I'd never ever be the one to reach out to my school mates to hang out outside of school. I'd just let them guide friendships while trying my best to emulate their personality and hobbies so they would accept me. I think, for me, it came from a place of knowing that I was "different" and that I feared my peers would reject me over it. So I tried my best to hide not only my ADHD, but also my own opinions and personality. As a result, my self-esteem was slowly eroded over years of doing this. I only got an ADHD diagnosis a few months ago, so I'm attempting to build my self esteem back up again after 24 years of people pleasing and hiding. I'm pretty sure RSD has destroyed multiple romantic relationships I've had. I've only recently heard about this, so I'm wondering if anyone has any good coping techniques to deal with this. I always just thought I was oversensitive -- hell, I probably am -- but at least there is a name for this sort of thing.

[GregorysMom in reply to shotty]

Looking for same.

[wanttobewell]

42today, my ADHD PRESENTS AS A ODDLY TRUTH TO OTHERS THAT IS INSULTING TO A DEGREE. THAT IN TURN CAUSES REJECTION OF NORMAL FRIENDSHIP OR INTERACTION. ADD THAT TO MY DOD AND IT LIMITS LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS. PEACE

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed about two years ago with ADHD with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). I actually emailed the psychiatrist a podcast about RSD so I could teach him what it was. He was very intrigued and actually began to research it. He did diagnose me and I am now being treated for it. I currently take Clonidine for the RSD and Desipramine for Anxiety. I used to take Guanfacine for the RSD but didn’t think it worked well. Clonidine or Guanfacine are what doctors usually prescribe for RSD.

Take it from me, taking a SSRI or SNRI only makes RSD worse. I was misdiagnosed by a different series of doctors with Cyclothymic Disorder and treated with the same medications as Bipolar Disorder. My RSD was off the charts. At the time though I didn’t know about RSD and that I had it. I had not been diagnosed with ADHD yet either.

If you want a good description of RSD, look up podcast by Dr. Willian Dodson. Most of his research and podcasts can be found at additudemag.com.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. Hope all of you find your way.

[shotty in reply to Hidden]

Hey, I'm on an SSRI for depression I got prescribed before I was diagnosded with ADHD. I'm curious to know how SSRIs made your RSD worse. Thanks.

[Hidden in reply to shotty]

The SSRI's made me more moody. The SSRI was supposed to help me with my cyclothymic disorder which later I found out I was a misdiagnosis. Cyclothymic disorider is a mood disorder. So the SSRI's didn't work for (CD) and it didn't help my ADHD. I experienced more aggression, agitation, short-fuse, easily brought to the cliff edge so to speak. I was not able to handle loud noises, large crowds, sudden changes in peoples emotions around me. I wasn't able to handle stress from work or home either.

I basically went from being moody occasionally to hourly and daily. I sought help for mood swings and ended up feeling like a crazy person. I felt out of control and out of my mind. My emotions were all over the place because I was dealing with an out of control mind.

It was a weird few months for me. I lost 40 pounds because I stayed anxious all the time and wasn't able to relax. The medications also heightened my anxiety. I had daily panic attacks for about six months before realizing it wasn't a symptom of my disorder but from my medications. When I say panic attacks, I mean fetal position on the floor, crying, hyperventilating...daily.

I tried several medications over a year's time between SSRI's and SNRI's. I eventually had help from my wife who watched from the outside as I fell apart. She happened upon a podcast about ADHD/RSD and put and two and two together. Once I realized I was misdiagnosed; I sought help from a different doctor who affirmed my self diagnoses and changed my medication. I have been the best version of myself ever since.

[GregorysMom in reply to Hidden]

I hope you weren't suggesting that an SSRI always interferes with RSD. That has not been my experience. I take 150 mg of sertraline (Zoloft)/day along with 20 mg of ritilin. I have not found any conflict. I too was diagnosed / identified late, after years of counseling where all the counselors didn't want to be bothered with adhd. So all they did to address my adhd needs were to ignore it or send me to a psychiatrist to give me meds. I have finally found someone who is different and addresses my concerns.

I've had RSD my whole life which has left me pretty much alone and on my own. I am familiar with Dodson's work. But I definitely don't think the RSD is worse since my sertraline dosage was upped in order to balance with the ritilin which I've been taking about a year or so now. It may in fact be better. Knowing what you have and getting educated makes a difference too. I do not yet take either Clonadine or the Guacacine (sp) although I know about them. At my age (lets just say over 60), I'm pretty convinced that coaching is and has been what I've needed through much of my life. Too little too late. I find the average "counselor" is not equipt to deliver that, even if they are younger and more adhd savvy than most (not all) older professionals. The problem is, Coaching is not covered by insurance, at least not mine, and I cannot change it now.

[Hidden in reply to GregorysMom]

I’m glad to hear you’ve had good experiences with SSRI’s. I’m sure people experience medications differently. I merely gave my personal experience to the question that was asked. I am in no way a professional at anything ADHD.

[GregorysMom in reply to Hidden]

Nothing like reading your replies 2 years later!!!!😶😳 You sound like you've been thru it with RSD. Since I wrote the comment you are responding to I've learned I can't take Guanacine and Clonidine because they are blood thinners and I have very low blood pressure. I can't take blood thinners. Strange that that should be a corrective for RSD but I'm not a bio chemist.

I'm kind of trying to find knowledgeable practitioners of DBT to help the brain patterns of the rsd from a behavioral standpoint but have not been very successful so far. I am trying to work on the mindfulness approach to addressing ADHD but need to build it in better. I had RSD both before and after I started on Prozac for depression about 30 years ago. It provided shocking relief in general at that time, but no change in the RSD. I know Dodson fro Attitude as well. He is a great man in my estimation.

So continued good luck to you in your journey but if you have any ideas for me to get around my RSD relief obstacles, I'd welcome them.

[GregorysMom in reply to Hidden]

I did same, emailed my current new therapist Dodson's most recent article about it so he could learn about it. Great mental health care system we have here, don't we?

[Hidden]

Hi 2manytabsopen . I posted this about a month ago. Saw your recent post and thought you might be interested. Most people with ADHD have some RSD, its pretty common. William Dodson has proposed that its actually a feature of ADHD.

[JusTrish]

Oh my gosh, yes!! I was so happy to have finally learned about this. It makes a lot of things make sense.