It's a neurological response where your brain interprets neutral or mildly negative feedback as catastrophic rejection. Your nervous system floods before your thinking brain can catch up.

You feel disappointed, maybe frustrated. You might need a minute to process. But your nervous system stays regulated, and the feeling doesn't spiral into shame, panic, or catastrophic thinking.

Physical: chest tightness, nausea, heart racing. Emotional: instant shame spiral, wanting to disappear. Cognitive: 'they hate me,' 'I ruined everything,' 'I should just stop trying.'

If it's rejection sensitivity, telling yourself to 'get over it' won't work—your nervous system is doing what it's wired to do. Understanding that helps you respond with regulation tools instead of shame.

RSD is common in ADHD brains and shows up after years of being misunderstood or corrected more than your peers. Your system learned to brace for rejection because it happened a lot.