I remember the first time I heard the phrase “Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” (RSD). I almost laughed—not because it sounded funny, but because it described my entire life so perfectly.
For as long as I could remember, I felt like my emotions were set to maximum volume when it came to criticism. A simple “Hey, can we talk?” from a friend sent me spiraling into worst-case scenario thinking. A slightly disinterested response from a boss convinced me I was about to be fired. And don’t even get me started on group chats—if I sent a message and no one responded? My brain immediately jumped to “They hate me.”
It didn’t matter if there was zero evidence of rejection—if there was even a hint of it, my brain filled in the blanks.
Sound familiar?
This is what RSD does. It makes small, everyday moments feel catastrophic. It turns a tiny misunderstanding into a full-blown identity crisis. And worst of all? It makes you second-guess your worth over and over again.
The 24-Hour Rule (Why Time Is Your Best Friend in an RSD Spiral)
If you take away just one thing from this email, let it be this:
When you feel rejected, do absolutely nothing for 24 hours.
I know—easier said than done. But hear me out.
When RSD kicks in, it demands an immediate reaction. Your brain goes into panic mode, convinced that you have to fix things right now. It tells you to:
- Send a long, over-apologetic text.
- Over-explain yourself to someone who isn’t even mad.
- Shut down completely and assume the worst.
And I used to fall for it every single time.
Then, one day, I decided to experiment. Instead of reacting right away, I told myself, “I will not do anything about this feeling for 24 hours.”
I would write the text but not send it. I would obsess in my head, but not act on it. I would let the feeling sit without feeding it.
And do you know what happened?
95% of the time, the crisis disappeared on its own.
By the next day:
- The “cold” text from my friend didn’t feel like rejection anymore.
- The weird look from my coworker? Turns out they were just lost in thought.
- The “awkward” conversation I replayed a thousand times? The other person had already moved on.
Sometimes, the rejection I felt wasn’t even real—it was just my brain playing tricks on me.
And even when the rejection was real? By waiting 24 hours, I responded from a place of calm instead of panic.
Why This Works (And Why It’s Hard at First)
When you don’t react immediately, you give your brain a chance to reset.
Think of RSD like a fire alarm going off in your head. The moment you feel criticized or ignored, the alarm starts blaring:
🔥 “YOU MESSED UP!”
🔥 “FIX THIS RIGHT NOW!”
🔥 “EVERYONE HATES YOU!”
But here’s the thing—most fires in your brain are false alarms.
If you resist the urge to react, the alarm gradually dies down. It feels impossible at first because your brain is screaming at you to do something. But once you see how often these feelings fade on their own, you start trusting yourself more.
The first few times I tried this, I felt like I was holding my breath underwater. My anxiety wanted action. My brain demanded closure. But I held off.
And when I realized that nothing bad actually happened—that most of my perceived rejections were in my head—I started regaining control over my emotions.
Your RSD Challenge This Week
The next time you feel rejected, ignored, or criticized, try this:
1 – Write down what you’re feeling. Get it all out, but don’t act on it.
2 – Wait 24 hours before responding or making any big decisions.
3 – See if the problem still feels as urgent the next day.
I promise you—most of the time, it won’t.
And every time you prove to yourself that rejection isn’t as catastrophic as it feels, you take back a little more power.
Severe Cases
For some people, RSD can feel completely overwhelming—so much so that it affects relationships, work, and self-esteem on a deep level.
If you find that these feelings don’t fade with time or that they cause intense emotional distress, know that you don’t have to navigate it by yourself. Therapy can help reframe these thought patterns, and in some cases, ADHD medications like stimulants or certain non-stimulants can reduce emotional sensitivity.
If RSD is impacting your daily life in a way that feels unmanageable, seeking professional support is a sign of strength, not failure.
You deserve to feel safe in your own mind.
Amy Harper