Understanding RSD alongside ADHD with Marcy Caldwell
Jan 18, 2024
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Clinical psychologist and ADHD advocate Marcy Caldwell joins Kate to discuss emotional dysregulation, recognizing stress markers, overstimulation and noise, strategies for managing emotional dysregulation, understanding RSD and its impact on emotions and productivity, tracking cycles and regulating emotions, honoring sensitivity and taking time for oneself.
ADHD brains process emotions differently from neurotypical brains, leading to intense shifts from feeling fine to feeling overwhelmed.
Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) is a common experience for individuals with ADHD, characterized by heightened sensitivity to perceived rejection, criticism, or failure.
Deep dives
Understanding the Podcast's Purpose
In this episode of the ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast, host Kate Moore introduces herself and explains her motivation for starting the podcast. As a well-being and lifestyle coach, she discovered her own ADHD at the age of 40 and recognized the need for more focus on well-being and lifestyle help for women with ADHD. The podcast aims to offer insights and perspectives to help women with ADHD live fulfilled, calm, and balanced lives.
Managing Emotions with ADHD
Dr. Marcy Caldwell, a clinical psychologist and ADHD advocate, joins Kate Moore as a guest on the podcast. They discuss the emotional struggles faced by women with ADHD, emphasizing that ADHD brains process emotions differently from neurotypical brains. ADHD brains often experience an intense shift from feeling fine to feeling overwhelmed due to a variety of ADHD-specific brain functions, such as difficulty filtering out external stimuli. They suggest strategies like identifying overstimulating triggers, adopting problem-solving approaches, and taking breaks to manage emotions more effectively.
Rejection Sensitivity in ADHD
The conversation delves into rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), a common experience for individuals with ADHD. RSD refers to heightened sensitivity to perceived rejection, criticism, or failure. The guest describes how ADHD brains, influenced by both neurological factors and social experiences, can become hyperaware and look for rejection in various situations. They emphasize the importance of self-awareness, tracking menstrual cycles, and implementing self-care strategies to navigate RSD more effectively.
Empowering Strategies and the Meltdown to Mastery Program
The episode concludes with the guest highlighting the significance of tailoring strategies for ADHD brains. They introduce the Meltdown to Mastery digital course, designed to help individuals with ADHD manage their emotions. The course offers a five-step framework that provides targeted strategies for ADHD-specific challenges. By aligning strategies with the unique motivations and needs of ADHD brains, individuals can cultivate effective coping mechanisms and enhance emotional well-being.
Emotional dysregulation and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) are two of the most challenging elements of ADHD, yet it's often not flagged up when we first learn about ADHD.
In this week's episode, Kate talks to Marcy Caldwell, a clinical psychologist and passionate ADHD advocate based in Philadelphia, PA. Marcy is the founder of ADDept.org, a blog and digital resource helping adults with ADHD create a life that works for, not against, their brains.
During today's episode, Kate and Marcy speak about:
Noticing your stress markers
Recognising how YOUR emotions work
Overstimulation and noise
Strategies to help emotional dysregulation
How emotions can derail us
How habit changes and awareness can help us with overstimulation
Using EFT tapping to help emotional dysregulation
How your emotional patterns can play out
What is RSD, and how does it show up in ADHD?
The impact RSD has on our emotions, productivity and beliefs
Tips for tracking our cycles, noticing when we're more vulnerable and regulating emotions
Honouring ourselves during our more sensitive times and carving out time on our own