What to know about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

What to know about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: it is an important topic for migraineurs that might be suffering from it. Simply put, it is a big stressor that will cause tension. Your ability to manage will be beneficial to reduce the attacks and the severity of them.

To figure out if you have RSD you’ll need to see a mental health professional. If you answer “yes” to all questions below it might be a good idea to consult one:

• Do you feel intense anger when someone hurts your feelings?
• Do you feel anger when you’ve been rejected or criticized?
• Do you assume that no one likes you?
• Are you a people pleaser?
• Do people say that you’re overly sensitive?

What to know about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

RSD is when you experience severe emotional pain when feeling rejected.  Anyone can experience RSD, some experts have linked the condition to other mental disabilities.

While rejection is something people usually don’t like, for the RSD sufferers the negative feelings are stronger and can be harder to manage. Also the individuals are likely to interpret vague interactions as rejection and may find it difficult to control their reactions.

Symptoms

• low tolerance to frustration, inability to manage failure
• a short temper due to pain feelings
• emotional overwhelm, lack of understanding of own feelings
• outbursts, usually anger

A literature review of 75 studies suggests there may be moderate links between RSD and other mental health conditions, such as depression and bipolar disorder.

What does RSD feel like?

RSD isn’t about being a “drama queen.” It is a genuine, intense pain as a result of feeling rejected.

It can feel like a surge of hurt and despair, possibly accompanied by physical discomfort. Depending on the person you may feel the urge to cry or act out in anger.

The physical signs could be: feeling a knot in the stomach, nauseas, strong pangs in the chest or increasing heart rate. In extreme cases it can feel like receiving a physical injury.

My personal experience

What I have done to overcome (or tried) this condition:

• Learning more about RSD. Investigating blogs and medical studies. Identify signs and recognize its symptoms to be aware of the triggers to anticipate intense emotional responses.
• Educate your loved ones. Explain your condition so they can understand your reactions and also manage the communications with you more effectively.
• Let go of things. Understand not every thought that lands on your head is worth it. Also practicing mindfulness to help you understand your thoughts and feelings but not dwell on them.
• Reflecting rationally. Ask yourself if your thought makes sense, prove the thought and think about a positive alternative instead.
• Develop a supportive environment. Surround yourself with people that support you and love you. Also extremely important avoid people or situations that may hurt you, manage the number of times you’re exposed to negativity.
• Delaying responses. Waiting a few moments can give you time to evaluate whether your reaction is proportional to the situation.
• Practicing self-care. Thinking about an activity you can switch to that will crease a joyful moment. Also practicing relaxation can help you manage feelings of discomfort from RSD.

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