If you have ADHD, you know the feeling: one flat text back, one "we need to talk," one look that lasted half a second too long — and suddenly you're building a legal case against yourself for the rest of the day.

I used to think this meant I was just "too sensitive." Turns out it has a name — Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria — and it's one of the most common (and least talked about) parts of ADHD. Your amygdala fires before your prefrontal cortex gets a vote. The feeling is real. The threat, usually, isn't.

Here's the test I actually use now, in the moment, before I spiral into an apology essay or 12 hours of insomnia:

Did they actually say something negative, or did they just not respond the way I hoped?

Is there a stated, specific consequence — or am I filling in blanks with worst-case guesses?

Would I assume the worst if this happened to a friend, or would I tell them they're overthinking it?

If the honest answer is "I'm guessing" — that's not evidence. That's the spiral talking.

The hard part was never understanding this intellectually. It's having something to actually DO in the first 10 minutes when your chest is already tight. So I wrote out the exact protocol I use — breathing pattern, the sentence I say to stop myself from sending a message I'll regret, and the "real or RSD" filter above as an actual decision tree.

Turned it into a short guide if anyone wants the full thing: your brain isn't broken, it's just loud. You just need to know how to check if there's actually a fire before you evacuate the building.