u/Wahine-Maia

As someone who struggled with RSD (rejection sensitivity disorder) for literally years and had no idea it was even a thing - I often wondered why the hell I was so weird and felt so bad for things I really had no business feeling bad for. Not getting invited out with “friends” felt like the whole world hated me, taking someone’s tone a certain way would cause me to recluse for days because I thought I’d done something wrong, and the physical pain I would feel inside when someone truly was upset with me even over the smallest thing that wasn’t a big deal, was actually a huge deal to me!

On my journey I have found that many people don’t know about RSD or what it is, so it’s something I want to share.

It can be so debilitating both mentally and emotionally but there is a physical aspect too which I think really can throw you out massively.

I would hyper fixate on the “why” and create all sorts of scenarios convincing myself of the worst, and that could lead me to be paralysed by worry and anxiety, so much so that I couldn’t even get up to do simple things.

I did a lot of reading and researching about RSD and it’s affects, and now have a fairly good handle on it which I’m pleased about but now I am more aware of triggers and I try to mitigate them before I spiral 🌀
This includes being open to all aspects of the situation and trying to look at it from an open mind, decipher what is real and what my brain is trying to say is happening and also just remembering that it is not the end of the world.

Has anyone else been through this? What do you do/think/feel? How do you cope?

Having ND non verbal children, I learnt about AAC tools but how expensive are they!!
Then I found the Twinkl Symbols app!
It is free, and has everything you could want and more! Some of the things are
- communication boards, fully customisable even with personalised photos
- communication books
- flashcards
- visual timers
- buttons
- Type to Talk
- audio sound (can use Personal Voice on Apple)
You can save and print what you make also which is great and use it on phone and tablet!

Does anyone use it and how have you utilised it ?

I operate on 3–5 competing thought streams at any given moment, none of which have signed a cooperation agreement. Equal parts investigator, overthinker, and “that seems fine, let’s try it,” I can deep-dive into obscure historical records at 2am and then forget why I walked into the kitchen 30 seconds later.

I have a built-in radar for inefficiency, injustice, and mildly suspicious behavior, which means I will absolutely question things most people just accept—sometimes out loud, sometimes internally while staring into the void. I can be intensely practical (fixing things, building things, figuring things out), but also accidentally chaotic when my brain decides structure is more of a suggestion than a rule.

Emotionally, I may appear calm in situations where people expect tears and then get randomly hit by feelings three to five business days later. It’s not that I don’t care—it’s that my brain files things under “process later” and then occasionally loses the folder.

I value independence, capability, and doing things properly—but I also reserve the right to abandon a task halfway through if a better, faster, or more interesting method presents itself. I am both “let’s think this through carefully” and “we ride at dawn” depending entirely on the situation.

In summary: part problem-solver, part skeptic, part accidental chaos engine—held together by curiosity, resilience, and the firm belief that if something doesn’t make sense, it’s probably worth digging into.

Positive and negative, share your experiences ⭐️⭐️

I have a deck along the north facing (in New Zealand) side of my house, with a door from the master bedroom. This is our autumn sun at 4.30pm.

I want some ideas on how to style it for a nice and cosy spot to sit in the afternoon, even on rainy days.
I have clear roller blinds to go up so it will be enclosed if needed. I also have a replacement light to get rid of that ugly one.

I love cosy, plants, nature and to feel “safe”

What you got for me 🥰

Take an online self screening test to see if you show signs of ADHD. This isn’t a diagnosis but an important part of your journey to diagnosis