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Rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) is defined as extreme sensitivity to perceived or actual criticism.

This construct has been talked about in relation to ADHD.

Personal and patient accounts suggest RSD may be a real problem for those who are neurodivergent.

At the same time, RSD research has a lot of room for growth.

One thing I’ve learned over the years as a clinical psychologist is that psychological research would be nothing without clinical input. Scientific research should be driven by theory, and theory does not exist in a vacuum—it develops from personal, real-life experiences.

This is where the concept of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) started—through personal stories online and in clinical practice. RSD is a concept that was popularized by psychiatrist William Dodson, starting in the 1990s. Through his lectures, podcast interviews, and blog posts, Dodson defines RSD as extreme sensitivity to perceived or actual criticism by others, and he ties RSD to ADHD. In one of his lectures, he described RSD as one of the most disruptive and common manifestations of emotional dysregulation based on his experience as a psychiatrist specializing in ADHD.

The online world seemed to agree, as the concept of RSD caught on like wildfire in the early 2000s. Since then, the phenomenon of RSD has increasingly grown in interest, driving people to wonder the following:

What is RSD, exactly?

How is it different from a mood disorder or from social anxiety disorder?

Is it a standalone diagnosis or a distinct, underrecognized aspect of ADHD?

Is it specific to ADHD or is it also present in autism?

What are the specific symptoms of RSD that make it unique from rejection sensitivity more generally?

The problem is that, without sufficient research, people can only speculate. And when there is such a demand and thirst for knowledge on a subject area, the public can start to guess and spread........

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