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Free Resource: Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

The emotional response to perceived or real failure can be devastating to people with ADHD. Learn why — and what you can do to take control.

William Dodson, M.D.

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 By William Dodson, M.D., LF-APA Updated on April 16, 2021

What Is Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria?

No one likes rejection or feeling like a failure. But for people with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD), these feelings can be debilitating — and may manifest as either crippling sadness or uncontrollable rage.

There’s a name for this phenomenon: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, or RSD. In people with ADHD, RSD can lead to an all-encompassing need to please others, or it can result in someone with ADHD giving up on anything that is perceived to have a risk of failure.

RSD is treatable — but first, you need to understand it. Use this quick-reference guide to get the facts about rejection sensitive dysphoria: why it happens, what it looks like, and what you can do to get the help you need.

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

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