Living With Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria(RSD)

Living with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria(RSD)

RSD is a real problem and is often found in people who have been diagnosed with ADHD. What it means is we’re hypersensitive to rejection and can interpret things that people say way too much and think that it’s some form of rejection. Getting an actual, legitimate rejection can send us spiraling into depression for hours or even days at a time and cause us to be unmotivated to do things. We’re people pleasers, trying so hard to make sure people are happy with us so that we don’t get rejected. It’s more than just a fear of rejection, it’s a downright terror of it.

What I say: Oh, I won’t bother you with *insert thing here* What I mean: I’m scared you’re going to reject me for sharing this thing that’s personal to me.

What I say: Don’t worry, my anxiety isn’t too bad. What I mean: My anxiety has been killing me, but I don’t want you to think it’s weakness and will stop being friends with me because of it.

What I say: Don’t worry about me. What I mean: I’m afraid if I talk about my major problems, you’re going to reject me and stop being my friend.

What you say: Please stop *blank* What I think: Oh fuck I did something majorly wrong, how can I fix this, what can I do to make things right what do I need to do? Will *person* want to stop being friends with me now? Am I okay?

These are just a few examples of what goes through the mind of someone with RSD. I would love to thank people like @adhd-alien for making comics that I, as a person with ADHD, can look at and relate to. It really calms down my RSD, even if I feel like I can’t talk about it with my friends for that terror that they’re going to reject me for it, even though I know they won’t.

I was walking through the toy aisle at Target when I found this thing and had a VIOLENT AND IMMEDIATE FLASHBACK to when JP first came out and they had a bunch of REALLY COOL T Rex toys that I would have sold one of my scrawny small-child limbs for but my mother wouldn’t get me one because they were “too violent and also ate people” :(

ways your characters can show varying emotions

to show sadness (grief, sorrow):

- sharply sucking in a breath

- hiccuping from crying so hard

- uncontrollable sobbing

- slumped shoulders, head down

- weather can be used to show emotions — not just rain, but a shining sun and birds chirping contrasts well with a grieving character

- depending on the person, sadness can result in lashing out at others for no reason or shutting everyone out

to show anger (rage, frustration)

- red face, fists clenched

- narrow eyes

- sharp comebacks, gritting teeth

- the air around them is tense

- others may be silent, ignoring whoever they’re angry at

- inhales

- angry. tears.

- kicking, punching, slapping

to show shock (hurt, confusion)

- wide, confused eyes

- freezing in place

- collapsing to their knees

- silent and blank-faced

- ignoring everything else happening around them

to show happiness (joy, delight)

- bright eyes

- crinkles around their eyes from smiling so much

- laughter!

- optimism

- playful, laid back nature

- the weight being lifted off their shoulders

- relaxed sigh

if you’d like me to do more of these, please like and reblog, and follow for more!

How I think I’m writing: Using eye contact, or lack thereof, to display emotions such as intimacy, shock, denial, or nervousness. 

How I’m actually writing: She looked at me, and I looked away. I tried to look back, but she was already looking at the sky. “Look,” she sighs, looking back at me for a split second. “I don’t know how to say this.” We looked at each other and time stopped, but then she looked her lookers at something else to look at, looking tired.