The impulsive behavior of ADHD may also cause people to respond inappropriately to rejection. In turn, this can cause them to experience more rejection.
It makes a difference knowing what it is, that they are not alone, and that almost 100% of people with ADHD experience rejection sensitivity.
The extreme emotional sensitivity of people with ADHD towards rejection can be traced to multiple factors. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria can be caused by other associated symptoms of ADHD, such as overthinking, social awkwardness, fear of failure, or impulsivity.
RSD and ADHD
In fact, research suggests that as much as 70% of people with ADHD show symptoms of RSD. 99% of adults with ADHD are more sensitive than usual to criticism, according to WebMD. This could be because the central nervous system is triggered in different ways in those with ADHD.
Many people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience RSD. While not everyone who experiences RSD has ADHD, and not everyone with ADHD experiences RSD, it is a common phenomenon in the ADHD community.
Unaware of Others' Emotions
People with ADHD can be hypersensitive and overwhelmed by everything that's going in a room. Or, they can seem very cold, very insensitive, or blissfully unaware of the feelings of others.
People with ADHD often describe a heightened sensitivity to pain, suggesting that pain hypersensitivity and ADHD may be comorbidities, with one condition influencing the other and vice versa.
People with ADHD often are sensitive, empathic, and thoughtful. You may expect the same in others. These traits may cause you to take on unnecessary burdens. When they disappoint, you feel it personally.
High levels of perceived criticism are associated with the recurrence of depression and anxiety, and lower levels of self-esteem [10–12]. ADHD is one condition that is associated with high levels of receiving and perceiving criticism [13,14].
Clinicians working with people with ADHD view hypersensitivity, both physical and/or emotional, as a common comorbid condition. “[People with ADHD] often are hypersensitive in one of the sensory domains: sound, touch, or smell,” says Ned Hallowell, M.D., author of Driven to Distraction (#CommissionsEarned).
Anger is not on the official list of ADHD symptoms . However, many adults with ADHD struggle with anger, especially impulsive, angry outbursts . Triggers can include frustration, impatience, and even low self-esteem. A number of prevention tips may help adults with ADHD manage anger as a symptom.
People who have ADHD frequently experience emotions so deeply that they become overwhelmed or “flooded.” They may feel joy, anger, pain, or confusion in a given situation—and the intensity may precede impulsive behaviors they regret later.
ADHD brains typically expect the worst, and stressful times and situations just further encourage and validate this negative thinking. Monitoring our thoughts and actively seeking the good are essential strategies now for managing worry before it spirals out of control.
If that felt like a personal call-out, you're not alone. It's a common ADHD experience that I call 'involuntary ghosting' - a phenomenon that describes the disappearing act that happens when ADHDers forget to respond to texts.
People with ADHD will have at least two or three of the following challenges: difficulty staying on task, paying attention, daydreaming or tuning out, organizational issues, and hyper-focus, which causes us to lose track of time.
ADHD meltdowns are sudden outbursts of frustration and anger that seem to come out of nowhere. If your child is struggling to control their emotions, there are ways to help them. For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), impulsivity can present in many ways.
ADHD makes us more sensitive to criticism. Often, our first instinct is to respond defensively or angrily to outside comments that feel like disapproval. But adults with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD) should know that doing so could sacrifice learning opportunities and the respect of others.
Many ADHD symptoms and traits can affect a person's ability to resolve conflicts. For instance, being unable to manage their emotions well can get in the way of toning down a confrontation. Being easily distracted, talking too fast or interrupting a conversation, and forgetfulness can also cause conflicts.
Self-centered behavior is common with ADHD.
Because of this, they are not able to access other people's needs or desires, making interaction difficult. One sign of this is interrupting during a conversation or butting in on conversations they were not a part of.
Kids with ADHD often have behavior problems. They get angry quickly, throw tantrums, and refuse to do things they don't want to do. These kids aren't trying to be bad. The problem is that ADHD can make it hard for them to do things they find difficult or boring.
People with ADHD may be seen as insensitive, self-absorbed, or disengaged with the world around them. Emotional detachment, or the act of being disconnected or disengaged from the feelings of others, is a symptom of ADHD.
People with ADHD feel emotions more intensely than others do. When they feel happiness and excitement, it makes them more interesting and engaging. But strong emotion has its downside as well. People with ADHD are impulsive.
It's not an exaggeration to say that ADHD worsens and prolongs the pain of a breakup, even leading to depression and low self-esteem. Getting over a breakup is way more difficult for us than it is for most neurotypical people.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger.