Emotions & RSD
Rejection sensitivity, big feelings, and the after-spiral. 2 worksheets to fill in online or print.
Updated
If a tiny bit of criticism can flatten your whole day, or a no-reply text can spiral into "everyone hates me," you're not too sensitive. You might be feeling rejection sensitive dysphoria, one of the least-talked-about parts of ADHD. The feelings are real and they hit at full volume. These worksheets help you name the wave, slow it down, and remember it passes.
Fill them in your browser (they save) or print them. Be gentle with yourself here. That's the whole point.
RSD First Aid
For the moment rejection sensitivity hits like a truck.
The Spiral Catcher
Catch the thought spiral before it catches you.
Questions about emotions & rsd
Is rejection sensitive dysphoria a real diagnosis?
Not formally. RSD is a widely used term, popularised by Dr William Dodson, but it isn't a diagnosis in the DSM-5 or ICD-11. The feelings it describes are very real for many people with ADHD, and talking it through with a GP or therapist can help. If you're ever struggling to keep yourself safe, please call Samaritans free on 116 123 (UK) or your local crisis line.
What is RSD?
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is a term, popularised by Dr William Dodson, for an intense emotional response to perceived rejection or criticism that many people with ADHD describe. It isn't a formal DSM-5 or ICD-11 diagnosis, and it isn't weakness: the feelings are real.
Can a worksheet really help with big feelings?
It won't switch them off, but naming and externalising a feeling reliably takes some of its power back, and reminds you the wave is temporary.