Rejection Sensitivity 101:
- Understanding It
- Soothing It
- Healing It
For ADHDers, rejection sensitivity isn’t a mysterious defect—it’s a response to lived experience. There are two different kinds of rejection: Real Rejection (you were fired, you weren’t invited, a friend pulled away) and Rejection Stories (your brain fills in gaps when situations feel uncertain—”She hasn’t texted back… she must be mad”). Both create the same physical and emotional reaction in your body: your chest tightens, your heart races, your stomach drops, your thoughts spin out. When you can tell them apart, everything shifts. You can soothe your nervous system instead of spiraling, and you stop believing that every sensation equals emergency.
- Understand why your nervous system reacts the way it does—the neuroscience of rejection sensitivity in ADHD
- Tell the difference between Real Rejection & Rejection Stories—the foundation of rejection resilience that changes everything
- Calm rejection spirals with mind-body tools—including the emotional regulation tool Kristen uses herself
- Walk away with practical skills you can use immediately—and a clearer understanding of yourself
Imagine waking up tomorrow without the constant hum of rejection sensitivity. You walk into rooms feeling grounded. A friend takes longer to text back—you simply keep moving through your day. Your partner makes a comment—you receive it as neutral. A meeting appears on your calendar—you don’t assume you’re in trouble.
This is what life can look like when rejection sensitivity stops running the show.
Rejection Sensitivity 101:
Understanding It, Soothing It, Healing It
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About Your Host
Kristen Carder
Diagnosed with ADHD at 21, Kristen has been on an ADHD and personal development journey for over 20 years. She spent many of those years caught in the familiar cycle of rejection sensitivity—hyper-alert to criticism, deeply impacted by small comments, afraid of losing relationships, and defaulting to people-pleasing and self-silencing to stay connected.Through years of therapy, study, and trauma-informed training, Kristen learned to understand the why behind her rejection sensitivity—and, just as importantly, how to respond to it with regulation, compassion, and skill. This work fundamentally changed how she relates to herself and others, allowing her to move from walking on eggshells to living with self-trust and emotional safety.
Today, Kristen is the creator of FOCUSED, host of the top-ranked I Have ADHD Podcast, and a certified coach who has helped thousands of adults with ADHD regulate their emotions, repair relationships, and feel safe in their own skin.
Kristen combines 15 years of ADHD research, trauma-informed coaching, and lived experience to deliver practical tools that actually work for the ADHD brain. Her superpower is translating complex psychology into bite-size, shame-free strategies—so you walk away feeling seen, validated, and equipped to show up for yourself on purpose.
“I feel like one of the best treatments for rejection is an accepting community like FOCUSED ”
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I Have ADHD empowers adults to understand, embrace, and thrive with ADHD through expert coaching, practical strategies, and supportive community. Founded by ADHD expert Kristen Carder, we’ve helped thousands transform their relationship with their brain.
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