On the ADHD and Writing panel at #CONfusionsf, we briefly touched upon Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. Primarily, we talked about the submission/rejection process, but there's another way RSD can affect the process.
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Caveat: my ADHD is not your ADHD is not your friend's ADHD. I am not an expert and can only speak about my experiences. You may or may not identify with the following tweets. Please consult with a mental health professional for diagnosis or an action plan.
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Okay! Let's chat about RSD.
It sucks. Getting rejected hurts on an emotional level it's hard to explain to others.
However, I am one of those who don't get RSD from receiving a writing rejection.
"But Tim," you say, "how does RSD affect your writing if not that?"
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It sucks. Getting rejected hurts on an emotional level it's hard to explain to others.
However, I am one of those who don't get RSD from receiving a writing rejection.
"But Tim," you say, "how does RSD affect your writing if not that?"
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RSD for me is about relationships. Submitting a piece to an editor I don't personally know is fine because it's a level of abstraction in the process. They don't know me so I am just a face in the crowd.
RSD affects me much earlier in the process.
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RSD affects me much earlier in the process.
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I can write a piece, but if I want a critique to improve, I have to show it to MY FRIENDS, whom I trust but absolutely do not want to disappoint. I can still do it, but my process slows down.
That fear leads to procrastination or shutting down.
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That fear leads to procrastination or shutting down.
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If you have anxiety on top of that, it can lead into a feedback loop. Breaking out of that pattern is important but difficult to do, especially without help.
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For me, it's important to have a support network which can help you break out of that loop. I have friends who encourage me and help me through the process of getting words on the page. I also have regular therapy appointments. My system is not perfect, but it helps.
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Again, we are all individuals and your way of dealing with it will be different. It's an ongoing, continually moving target. Which is okay because we evolve as people and our means to cope need to evolve as well.
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Of course, I've thought about a lot more about RSD and writing (so many thoughts, too many for polite tweets), some of which I may put into a blog post later, but I hope you might find this helpful.
Thanks for reading!
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Thanks for reading!
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