RSD Reality Check Worksheet

What is RSD? Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is an intense emotional response to perceived rejection or criticism that's very common with ADHD. When RSD is triggered, our brain can jump to worst-case conclusions that may not match reality.

This worksheet helps you pause, check your assumptions, and separate what you think is happening from what you know is true.

When to Use This Worksheet

Use this whenever you notice:

Intense emotional reactions to small things
Assumptions that people don't like you
Feeling like you've ruined everything
Replaying conversations looking for hidden criticism
Avoiding situations because you're sure they'll go badly

STEP 1: Name the Trigger

What happened? (Just the facts, no interpretation)

Example: "My friend didn't reply to my text for 3 hours"

Your situation:

STEP 2: What Your Brain is Telling You

What story is your RSD brain telling you? (Be honest - what are you worried this means?)

Example: "They're ignoring me on purpose. They don't want to be friends anymore. I said something wrong and now they hate me."

Your RSD story:

Intensity check: How strongly do you believe this story right now?

100% - Absolutely certain this is true
75% - Pretty sure this is what's happening
50% - Could go either way
25% - Probably overthinking

STEP 3: Reality Check Questions

Evidence Check

What actual evidence do I have that supports my story?

What evidence goes against my story?

Example: "They replied to me yesterday and seemed fine. They might just be busy."

Alternative Explanations

What are 3 other possible explanations that have nothing to do with me?

Past Pattern Check

Has this person given me reasons to trust them before?

Yes - they've been consistently reliable and kind
Mostly - they've occasionally been unavailable but always explained
Sometimes - mixed experiences
No - there's a pattern of them being unreliable or hurtful

When I've felt this way before, was I usually right or usually overthinking?

STEP 4: What I Actually Know (Facts Only)

Strip away assumptions and write only what you know for certain:

Example: "I sent a text at 2pm. It's now 5pm. They haven't replied yet. That's all I actually know."

What I actually know:

STEP 5: Helpful Action

Instead of acting on the RSD story, what's one helpful thing you could do?

Helpful options:

Wait a bit longer before drawing conclusions
Distract myself with something enjoyable
Talk to someone I trust about my worries
Send one friendly follow-up (not accusatory)
Remind myself that delay ≠ rejection
Do something that makes me feel good about myself
Journal about these feelings
Other: _______________________________

What I'm going to do:

STEP 6: Check Back Later

After some time has passed, what actually happened?

Was my RSD story accurate?

Yes, my worries were justified
Partially - some of it was true but I overestimated the severity
No - the reality was much less dramatic than I feared

What did I learn from this?

Remember:

RSD is automatic - You can't stop the initial feeling, but you can question the story it tells
Feelings ≠ Facts - Just because something feels true doesn't mean it is true
You're not broken - RSD is a common ADHD trait, not a character flaw
Practice helps - The more you use this process, the faster you'll spot RSD in action
Be kind to yourself - You're working against a powerful brain pattern. Progress counts.

Need support? If RSD is significantly impacting your life or relationships, consider working with an ADHD coach or therapist who understands rejection sensitivity.