Strengths-Based Script for Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria

Here's a possible script that a parent could use to explain rejection sensitivity dysphoria to a child from a strengths-based perspective:

Hey, kiddo, I want to talk to you about something that I think might help you understand yourself a little better.

There’s something called Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, or RSD for short, that many neurodivergent people experience, including you and me. It's when we're really sensitive to rejection or criticism from others, and it can make us feel really upset or anxious.

This might mean that you might feel really hurt or upset when someone says something that feels critical or rejecting, even if they didn't mean it that way. So when I say to clean up your toys, your body might feel like I’m saying you are messy, bad, or not good enough. Often all you might feel is anger or sadness. This is your brain telling your body that something bad is happening to you, and your body is responding by trying to protect you. There’s a chemical reaction that happens in your body that floods it with hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which can make you want to scream, cry, or run away. This is called the fight or flight response. 

The fight or flight response is your body’s way of keeping you safe, but it doesn’t know the difference between real danger and perceived danger. So what we’ll learn together is how to bring your body back to feeling safe. When you feel safe again, we’ll be able to make a plan to deal with whatever was said. 

But here's the thing: RSD isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a sign of some really great strengths. For one thing, it means that you care deeply about other people and what they think. You have a lot of empathy and compassion, and you want to be liked and accepted by others. That's a really important strength. You also have a lot of resilience. Even though you might feel really upset in the moment, you have tools that will allow you to regulate and keep trying. That's a really important strength too. And there's one more thing. Because you're so sensitive to other people's feelings, you're really good at understanding and connecting with them. You have a special gift for building strong, supportive relationships with people.

So, while RSD can be tough to deal with sometimes, it's also a sign that you have some really amazing strengths. And together we’ll learn how to work through it and use those strengths to your advantage.