Something I learned this week
My friend told me about “rejection sensitive dysphoria” (RSD) yesterday, and I had never heard of that.
It’s how she suspected that she had ADHD.
I wish I had known about this sooner. Basically, it’s a condition that causes a person to experience intense emotional pain related to rejection.
Now listen, we all experience pain related to rejection, but this is more serious. Here are some possible symptoms (screenshot from the link above):
Now you might be reading this and thinking to yourself, “People just need to toughen up and get a thicker skin.” But here’s the thing, this is an actual medical condition that is caused by the structure of a person’s brain. There are absolutely treatments that can help, but it’s not diagnosed as often as it could be specifically because (especially in children) we’re likely to think that a person is just too sensitive and needs to get over it.
Interestingly, there’s a strong correlation between RSD and ADHD (a disorder that we know for sure is caused by brain structure and chemistry and has genetic roots). People often have both, and the presence of RSD is a good indication that one should look into the possibility of an ADHD diagnosis as well.
I found the whole thing interesting, and it’s a good reminder once again that we often have no idea what the people around us are going through. So we should be kind to each other! I wish I had known about this sooner because I think it would have made me more patient with people — especially younger people in all those ministry years — who exhibited some of these behaviors.
Anyway, I’m glad to know about it now!
If you’ve got experience with RSD (as a medical professional or someone who experiences it) I’d love to hear more thoughts from you!
COVER REVEAL for a book I worked on!
I’m very pleased to say that I was one of the editors on this book. I was hired as a developmental editor specifically because this is middle grade science fiction. The author and I had a great time tearing his script apart and rebuilding it as something stronger, and we’re both really pleased with the new shape of it1. It’ll be in bookstores May 28th of next year, but in the meantime here’s the cover and description!
In City 47, uniformity is celebrated, individuality is stamped out, and the Elders who run the government demand strict obedience to an ancient writing called the Primary Code. It's been like this ever since the Incident. Fifteen-year-old Evan Miller has an increasingly disruptive secret--a powerful ability that has attracted the attention of the Elders. When disguising himself as ordinary is no longer an option, he's forced to flee to the place he fears the most. What will he discover about the true past of City 47, the Elders, and himself in the forbidden Old City?
On the Reading Life
Speaking of books, this week Kathy and I are on the ON THE READING LIFE podcast, talking about our Englewood Review of Books Book of the Year, LOVING DISAGREEMENT.
We didn’t know when we recorded this that the book was book of the year, but we DID get to talk about some of the favorite books WE read this year! Check it out at the link or listen here in the player.
GODZILLA!
This week at the Fascinating Podcast, Kathy, J.R., and I talk about the new Godzilla movie. It’s great! If you like Godzilla *at all* you will love this movie!
This is the last time I let Bruce take our selfie
Also the guy bit right through our Christmas tree lights this week! BRUCE!!!
Peace to you and yours,
Matt
Just in case this isn’t clear, what I’m saying here is that Jerel Law WROTE this book and I stood nearby and said, “Hey, wouldn’t it be better if…?” and then he made it better. :)
I have RSD. What do you want to know?