The feelings are real, but they got the causes all wrong.
Did you know that RSD is not in the DSM-V, nor is it recognized in the psychiatric or psychological communities?
Don’t get me wrong, people don’t need their experiences to be medicalized in order for them to be 100% real and valid. It can be extremely validating to have our feelings put into words and to find out that so many others have similar experiences.
The description of RSD is very real, as an overwhelming majority of the ADHD population can attest to, which is why I was so drawn to exploring and researching it in the first place.
People don’t need their experiences to be pathologized in order for them to be entirely real and valid.
But now I want a do-over because I’ve learned a lot more and, as a result, have some important things to add. Notably, the fact that RSD is attributed to ADHD and neurodivergence has me thinking about this whole concept more critically.
It’s not disordered when it’s a rational response to actual repeated rejection.
Read my article on Invisible Illness.
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