What causes rejection sensitivity?

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but rejection will crush me forever. In this episode, we are looking at rejection sensitivity, or RSD, through a neuroscience lens focusing on this paper (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...) to explain what may be happening in your brain when you experience this overwhelming and painful phenomenon associated with ADHD and autism.


We'll walk you through the treatments that work and some surprising treatments that don't work. You're going to learn something new in this episode, guaranteed.






00:00 Introduction and Overview of ADHD Symptoms


01:57 Exploring Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)


08:57 Science Behind RSD and Emotional Dysregulation


10:09 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Its Limitations


17:00 Understanding the Prefrontal Cortex


23:54 Personal Experiences with RSD


35:32 Neuroscience Insights and Expert Opinions


38:33 Understanding Emotional Shutdowns


39:47 The Role of the Prefrontal Cortex


42:11 Coping Mechanisms for RSD


43:43 Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT)


50:35 Medication Options for RSD


53:56 The Impact of Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists


57:31 Personal Experiences and Advice


01:06:53 The Importance of RSD Buddies


01:08:05 Final Thoughts on Managing RSD






Episode References: 


Russell Barkley on RSD (   • Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) and ADHD  )


William Dodson on RSD (   • An ADHD Guide to Emotional Dysregulation a...  )


Research about how guanfacine manages rejection sensitivity in the brain (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...)


A look at the prefrontal cortex and dynamic network connectivity (   • The Neurobiology of Prefrontal Cortex and ...  )


Read next:


A brief explanation of CBT (https://drsarahmckay.com/does-cbt-tea...)


A deeper look at CBT brain research (https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-bas...)


How is DBT different from CBT? (https://www.skylandtrail.org/4-differ...)


How does the prefrontal cortex impact ADHD and why do meds help? (   • Adderall, Stimulants & Modafinil for ADHD:...  )