Why You Feel Everything So Deeply (and how to survive it) - Dr Sasha Hamdani
In a Nutshell
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) stems from an overactive amygdala and underactive prefrontal cortex that causes intense, prolonged emotional responses to perceived rejection or criticism, often accompanied by physical symptoms like chest pain and breathing difficulties. The core problem isn't being emotionally sensitive—it's being in environments that don't utilize this trait, which can be reframed as a strength for emotional intelligence, deep relationships, and certain careers like psychiatry. Effective management involves movement, delayed reactions, and mindfulness to interrupt amygdala-driven spirals before they consume hours of mental energy.
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Dr. Sasha Hamdani became interested in researching emotionally sensitive people because she is emotionally sensitive herself and observed patterns in her clinical work with patients.
Emotionally sensitive people feel things quickly, deeply, and for a long time. They spend significant mental energy overanalyzing every interaction, reading social cues for signs of disapproval, and interpreting whether they or others are acting strangely. They constantly evaluate whether someone is upset with them.
These individuals also engage in substantial anticipatory work - predicting potential issues before they occur, changing their behavior, masking their natural responses, and overcompensating for perceived problems.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria is a neurological phenomenon involving a robust emotional and sometimes physical response to rejection or criticism. It goes beyond normal hurt feelings to feeling like "the air has been pushed out of my lungs" and questioning whether recovery is possible. This response can consume the person and may resemble a major depressive episode.
The fear of disappointing others is central to RSD, stemming from the underlying fear of rejection, criticism, or negative judgment.
The term "highly sensitive person" is not clinical and refers to sensitivity across multiple domains - not just emotions, but also sounds, lights, and sensory input. RSD specifically addresses the emotional angle of sensitivity.
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