RSD Uncovered + Tips For ADHD Brains
We must preface this by saying we’re not doctors, nor can we provide you any sort of a mental health diagnosis, nor claim tat all o be even remotely able to. We have zero idea if you may or not have ADHD.
What this IS about, is how a few things along the way have helped us across the decades with managing our own diagnosed ADHD symptoms & how we hope to shed some light in areas for those in the same boat. We have so much love to give and want more than anything to use our crazy active minds in ways that can help and serve others.
Something that really knocked us out & was a huge eye-opener we literally just learned about this weekend.
(I’m 50 years old & just heard of this for the first time! )
It’s called RSD - Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria - and is a way of describing certain symptoms associated with ADHD.
It’s definitely worth an internet search if you have ADHD and have struggled with handling criticism and/or rejection. “Dysphoria” comes from a Greek word meaning “hard to bear” and is a real thing amongst our tribe.
If you’ve ever gone over the top to be liked and admired, and /or avoided situations entirely for fear of being hurt, this might be an arena to delve into & learn from.
The most frustrating part about RSD is how your own beliefs could actually lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of being rejected, simply by you buying into your own fears & acting out as a result. It goes crazy deep, yet learning about is is incredibly empowering and a life-changer.
Seriously.
Learning about RSD and actually being able to give a name and description to such situations has been both a huge eye-opener and breath of fresh air to us. We’ll share more as we learn more.
Some other useful tools for the ol’ ADHD mind that we know and love are:
using calendars & checking them daily
Having a “launch pad” (i.e. an area you check daily that has your calendar, to-do lists, etc readily avail upon sight, with no distractions)
Timers - real or digital. One that we love actually shows the amount of time left by a solid color block
Create a schedule / routine that works for you & stick to it. We love doing 90-minute work blocks, then taking 15-20 minutes to go on a walk or find a little snack or music or meditation time.
Meditation!!!! This one is big. Very big. We love Yoga Nidra, but also find joy and peace in many varieties of meditation. Try out different approaches to find your faves. Use headphones and/ or earplugs to prevent outside distractions.
Exercise regularly! This one should be a no-brainer…but we have ADHD so we need constant reminders!
Got any hints, tips, or ticks to share? Please let us know in the comments below.
: )