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Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Helping your teenager to recognise their RSD

2 replies

Mysonlikestohideinboxes · 11/04/2026 10:06

My son is AuDHD, his Dad is late diagnosed the same. So it’s only in the last few years we’ve become aware of RSD (rejection sensitivity dysphoria) as a thing. Both ADHD diagnosis have been recent. My husband recognises RSD and has very much suffered with it over the years and now has an understanding of what it is and how it has affected him. We are both pretty certain that our teenager is also struggling with it. However he doesn’t really connect with the definitions that are given of it and most of the stuff online and in books seems to be about late diagnosed adults. Has anyone come across anything that could help our son recognise his experience so we can help him realise it’s a brain thing and not a him thing. That his brain is predisposed to thinking the worst. It always easiest when someone describes something and you can relate to it but I’ve not found anything yet that seems to match that. For him it is very much feeling that people will see him as inferior and stupid when he gets things wrong. When I’ve talked to him about it he seems a bit bemused by the RSD concept, but at core it is the same thing (being rejected for getting it wrong) just manifesting a bit differently.
Any suggestions/recommendations gratefully received.

OP posts:
Phineyj · 11/04/2026 19:15

I don't know, but I'd be interested in tips too.

DD at 13 has matured very slightly and still storms off in response to minor (to anyone else) things but doesn't storm so far.

She used to hit us, so I guess this is progress?!

BeenThereDoneThatGotTshirtSelection · 12/04/2026 10:00

Perhaps finding a counsellor/therapist to help your teen reflect before reacting (or seeing his emotional responses in context) would be a better fit? If the definition does not really resonate with him, I'd consider this step - looking for tools to manage rather than telling him it's just how his brain works. But only if your teen is on board.

'When I’ve talked to him about it he seems a bit bemused by the RSD concept'
I totally get this, and tbh RDS is a theoretical concept only.

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