Rejection Sensitivity & ADHD: Thoughts from an ADHD Therapist in Utah
Rejection Sensitivity dysphoria or often just called rejection sensitivity is something people with ADHD experience. Rejection sensitivity can impact your relationships and how you feel about yourself. It can be hard to have successful relationships with ADHD with rejection sensitivity. This part of ADHD is something more people are discussing and bringing awareness to. If you have ADHD rejection sensitivity learning more about it can help you feel less alone. Understanding more about rejection sensitivity can help you understand yourself better.
What is rejection sensitivity dysphoria?
Rejection sensitivity dysphoria is something that people with ADHD experience. Rejection sensitivity is when you feel sensitive to criticism or what may seem like rejection from others. This means people with ADHD might get hurt or upset more often than people who don’t have ADHD. When someone with ADHD makes a mistake in school or at work and someone points it out, even in a helpful way, they might feel personally attacked. When someone with ADHD has their mistakes pointed out or is given feedback to help them improve, it feels negative. If you have ADHD it might feel like this person hates you and you can’t do anything right. Sometimes having a relationship when you have ADHD can be challenging. It’s hard for people with ADHD to remember that everyone makes mistakes and this doesn’t mean they are being attacked or rejected.
Why do people with ADHD experience rejection sensitivity?
A person with ADHD has a brain that works differently than others. People with ADHD process and experience emotions in a different way than those who don’t have ADHD. Having ADHD often means it’s difficult to know how to manage your emotions. Having ADHD means your brain uses dopamine differently. Because of this, dealing with your emotions can be more difficult in stressful situations. Another symptom of ADHD means having a more difficult time organizing, planning, and following through with tasks. These difficulties make it harder to know how to plan and anticipate how to respond in social situations that may involve rejection and criticism.
What are the symptoms of rejection sensitivity?
Each person will experience rejection sensitivity differently. Each person will have varied experiences and symptoms of rejection sensitivity. These are some examples of rejection sensitivity symptoms:
Mistrust of others
Feeling hurt by perceived criticism
Avoiding situations or people where you might feel criticized
Difficulty forming close relationships because of fear of rejection
Being self-critical or having negative self-talk
How to handle rejection sensitivity with ADHD?
There are a few ways you can learn to manage your rejection sensitivity better. It will not be an overnight process, and it might not be as simple as you would like it to be. Here are a few ideas on how you can work on handling rejection sensitivity when you have ADHD:
Learn your triggers
Try to recognize common situations, people, or places that will bring up feelings of rejection or criticism. Recognize your vulnerability in these situations and make a plan to cope.
2. Develop coping skills
Being able to learn to calm and manage your nervous system is an important part of dealing with rejection sensitivity. Focusing on meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing can help you in situations where you are feeling rejected.
3. Challenge negative thoughts
Awareness of when those negative thoughts creep into your head is the first step. The second step is to recognize they might not be telling you the truth. Challenge your negative thoughts and try to understand you are good enough.
4. Have support
When you have people in your life that you feel safe with it can make a difference in being able to share how you feel When you are feeling hurt and rejected, share it with someone you trust. Getting it out is important in feeling better.
4. Work with an ADHD therapist in Utah
Having ADHD and learning to cope with it, it’s really hard. You shouldn’t have to try and figure it out on your own. Working with a therapist for ADHD can help you learn to manage your rejection sensitivity better.
Online ADHD Treatment in Utah can help with rejection sensitivity
ADHD treatment can make a world of difference when you are struggling with rejection sensitivity. When you are feeling rejected and criticized by others, it’s important to be able to have a safe place you can go to talk about what you are going through. Going to therapy and working with someone that knows and understands ADHD can help you learn to cope better. Because everything is confidential you can trust that nobody is going to know what you are sharing with others.
Online ADHD treatment means you get to do therapy from the comfort of your home. Having ADHD means planning and organizing your schedule is a little bit more difficult. If you can have your therapy session from work or home and skip the travel it will be much more convenient for you.
Online therapy in Utah means I can work with you wherever you are located in Utah. I work with clients in St. George, Cedar City, Provo, Heber City, Salt Lake City, Logan, and more.
Ready to begin working with an ADHD therapist in Utah?
You don’t have to keep struggling with rejection sensitivity without help. You deserve to feel more confident and in control. ADHD treatment can help. This Utah counseling practice has an ADHD therapist who specializes in working with clients with ADHD. To begin therapy follow the steps below:
Meet with a therapist for ADHD
Start feeling better
Other mental health services at Marcus Hunt Therapy
ADHD treatment isn’t the only counseling service provided by this Utah Counseling Center. Other mental health services provided by Marcus Hunt Therapy include EMDR therapy, marriage counseling, premarital counseling, LDS marriage counseling, PTSD treatment, therapy for men, and more.
Reach out for a phone consultation to see how I can help. I work with clients all over the state of Utah.
About the Author
Marcus Hunt is a marriage and family therapist at Marcus Hunt Therapy near Provo, Utah. Marcus has a bachelors in behavioral science from Utah Valley University. He also has a master's degree in marriage and family therapy. Marcus enjoys working with men who have ADHD to be able to manage their lives and their symptoms better. He was diagnosed with ADHD in graduate school and understands the challenges that come with rejection sensitivity. When Marcus isn’t doing therapy, he enjoys exploring new food options around St. George, Utah, and Utah County.