A short reply or a canceled plan, and within moments you feel sure someone is upset with you.
Understand why rejection and criticism hit you so hard
Caring what people think is not the problem. Reflect on how you read small signals, how strongly the hurt arrives, and what you do to avoid it, then see a free first reading of your answers. RSD is a descriptive term often used around ADHD, not a diagnosis.
- Words for reactions that are hard to explain
- Six areas linked to real situations
- A starting point for support or assessment
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The part of rejection sensitivity that others may not see
A small piece of feedback lands like a verdict on your whole self.
You say yes, stay quiet, or hold back so that no one has a reason to pull away.
You may recognize several of these experiences, one, or none. Strong feelings about rejection are human, and naming a pattern is not the same as having a diagnosis.
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Six perspectives on rejection sensitivity
Reading rejection into everyday moments
Noticing possible rejection or disapproval in small or unclear cues, such as a slow reply, a short message, or a neutral expression.
Sudden, intense emotional pain
How suddenly and strongly hurt, shame, or anger arrive when rejection or criticism seems to happen, and how long they take to settle.
Sensitivity to criticism and failure
Feedback, mistakes, or falling short of expectations landing as a judgment of your whole self rather than of one task.
People-pleasing and avoiding rejection
Agreeing, over-giving, hiding needs, or holding back from people and opportunities so that rejection has less chance to happen.
Replaying and self-criticism afterward
Going back over a moment that felt like rejection or criticism, and turning it against yourself, long after it has passed.
Impact on relationships, work, and daily life
Time, focus, energy, relationships, and opportunities affected by rejection sensitivity and the steps taken to manage it.
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From painful reactions to a clearer next step
Describe what happens
Answer 48 original experience questions and 14 unscored questions about context and needs.
Read your free preview
See which descriptions fit your answers more closely and which fit less well.
Choose useful detail
Use the free help information or choose the optional paid report for a fuller explanation and support conversation.
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Information you can use beyond the result page
A six-area profile that separates the alarm, the hurt, and the responses that follow
Answer evidence alongside daily impact, context, and uncertainty
Plain language for explaining the pattern and questions for a therapist or ADHD-informed clinician
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Who this reflection is for
- You are an adult answering about your own experience, with or without an ADHD diagnosis.
- You want to understand strong reactions to rejection, criticism, or disapproval, whether you are curious, unsure, or already seeking support.
- If you are thinking about harming yourself after a rejection or loss, call or text 988 now; this self-check cannot assess urgent risk.
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Original questions with transparent boundaries
48 questions form six descriptive scores; 14 context answers personalize the interpretation without changing the scores. There is no validated diagnostic test for RSD, and this questionnaire is not an ADHD screener or a measure of borderline personality disorder or social anxiety disorder. A qualified clinician can assess ADHD and other conditions and discuss options such as psychotherapy.
62 questions · 6 areas · About 8–12 minutes
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Questions before you begin
What is rejection sensitive dysphoria, or RSD?
Rejection sensitive dysphoria, often shortened to RSD, is a term used mainly in discussions of ADHD to describe sudden, intense emotional pain in response to rejection, criticism, or disapproval, whether the rejection is real or perceived. It is not a formal diagnosis and is not listed in the DSM, the manual clinicians in the US use for mental health diagnoses. Researchers also study a related trait called rejection sensitivity: a tendency to anxiously expect rejection, notice it readily, and react strongly to it. Many people find these terms helpful for putting words to their experience, and a clinician can consider such reactions as part of a broader look at attention, mood, anxiety, and life experiences.
Is RSD part of ADHD?
Many adults with ADHD describe strong reactions to rejection and criticism, and difficulty regulating emotions is widely discussed in ADHD, although it is not one of the formal diagnostic criteria. Research on RSD specifically is still limited. Strong rejection sensitivity can also appear without ADHD, for example alongside social anxiety, depression, past experiences of bullying or loss, or traits associated with borderline personality disorder. This self-check cannot tell you whether you have ADHD or which explanation fits; a qualified clinician can consider the whole picture.
Is this an RSD diagnosis or an ADHD test?
No. It uses 48 original reflection questions across six descriptive areas and 14 unscored context questions. There is no validated diagnostic test for RSD, and this questionnaire does not screen for ADHD, borderline personality disorder, or social anxiety disorder, or reproduce any clinical or research scale. It describes how rejection and criticism affect you so that you can discuss the pattern with a qualified professional.
How is rejection sensitivity different from ordinary hurt feelings?
Everyone feels hurt by rejection, and caring what others think is part of being close to people. The questions here focus on reactions that arrive suddenly, feel much stronger than the situation seems to call for, are set off by small or unclear cues, and shape your choices or relationships afterward. Sometimes a sense of rejection is accurate. If someone repeatedly puts you down, controls you, or makes you feel unsafe, that is not a sensitivity to fix in yourself, and it is worth talking with someone you trust or a professional.
What kind of help is used for rejection sensitivity?
There is no treatment approved specifically for RSD, and research on it is still developing. Approaches people discuss with clinicians include psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills for managing strong emotions, treatment for ADHD when it is present, and support for related anxiety or low mood. Some clinicians also discuss medication, and those decisions belong with a prescriber. This report does not provide treatment or recommend any medication; it can help you prepare questions to ask a professional.
Is the test free, and do I need the paid report to get help?
The questions and initial preview are free. You can choose a paid full report to read online and download as a PDF. You never need to buy a report to contact a clinician or read the free help information.