Nobody enjoys rejection. However, for some people, rejection leads to very intense emotional distress that is harder to manage. This is called rejection sensitivity, and it is thought to be a result of emotional dysregulation. People experiencing rejection sensitivity might feel negative emotions (such as anxiety) before an anticipated rejection, have a strong emotional and behavioural reaction to feelings of rejection (e.g. anger, rage, sadness, anxiety), and even struggle to see neutral interaction as anything but rejection.

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is very similar to rejection sensitivity, with the difference that people with RSD report experiencing intense or even overwhelming emotional pain in reaction to rejection. Note that RSD is not an official diagnosis or symptom.

While anyone can experience rejection sensitivity or RSD, they are considered to result from the emotional dysregulation commonly seen among people with ADHD. However, more research is required to better understand this link.