Sticks and stones may break my bones, but rejection will crush me forever. In this episode, we are looking at rejection sensitivity, or RSD, through a neuroscience lens focusing on this paper to explain what may be happening in your brain when you experience this overwhelming and painful phenomenon associated with ADHD and autism.
We'll walk you through the treatments that work and some surprising treatments that don't work. You're going to learn something new in this episode, guaranteed.
00:00 Introduction and Overview of ADHD Symptoms
01:57 Exploring Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)
08:57 Science Behind RSD and Emotional Dysregulation
10:09 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Its Limitations
17:00 Understanding the Prefrontal Cortex
23:54 Personal Experiences with RSD
35:32 Neuroscience Insights and Expert Opinions
38:33 Understanding Emotional Shutdowns
39:47 The Role of the Prefrontal Cortex
42:11 Coping Mechanisms for RSD
43:43 Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
50:35 Medication Options for RSD
53:56 The Impact of Alpha-2 Receptor Agonists
57:31 Personal Experiences and Advice
01:06:53 The Importance of RSD Buddies
01:08:05 Final Thoughts on Managing RSD
Episode References:
Research about how guanfacine manages rejection sensitivity in the brain
A look at the prefrontal cortex and dynamic network connectivity
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A deeper look at CBT brain research
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How does the prefrontal cortex impact ADHD and why do meds help?