All posts tagged: Rejection

Bonding with Someone Rebounding from Romantic Rejection

Bonding with Someone Rebounding from Romantic Rejection

Published by Jenni Sidey

Many singles have acquaintances they would have considered potential romantic prospects if they were available. If this acquaintance suddenly becomes single, the question becomes what approach is appropriate under the circumstances. Fortunately, research shows the path forward doesn’t have to be awkward; it can instead be respectful, approachable, and authentic. Smitten With the Suddenly Single There are a variety of opinions regarding the state of mind of the suddenly single, usually based on the circumstances of their recent breakup. We don’t characterize such people as “available,” because we usually see that they aren’t ready to dash back onto the dating scene. Some people even characterize a new romance as a “rebound,” even without evidence to support that assumption. From the rejectee’s perspective, however, things often look very different. Post-Breakup Prosocial Behavior Dongming Qin and team (2026) explored how newly single partners behave after suffering romantic rejection in a piece entitled “Moving on Gracefully.”[i] Their study consisted of 150 participants between the ages of 17 and 26, 99 women and 51 men, aged 17 to 26 …

When Rejection Sensitivity Becomes Self-Gaslighting

When Rejection Sensitivity Becomes Self-Gaslighting

Published by Jenni Sidey

Co-authored with Krista Smith, MSW, MAT Relationships are full of small, subtle shifts—some great, like more frequent texts, spontaneous plans, or a sudden burst of openness. Others? Not so great: a left-on-read message, a vague “we’ll see,” or a tone you can’t quite interpret. For some, these shifts aren’t just signals that something is off, but feel like outright rejection. When this happens, it’s not that you want to overreact; it just hurts more than it “should.” This is the weight of rejection sensitivity. What Is Rejection Sensitivity? Rejection sensitivity (RS) is when the brain and body go into overdrive at even a hint of exclusion or disapproval. It might show up as anxiety, shame, anger, or a sudden drop in self-worth, all sparked by something that may or may not actually be rejection. Say you didn’t get invited to the party (“Is it just me?”), a friend takes too long to text back (“Did I say the wrong thing?”), or a coworker doesn’t make eye contact (“Are they mad at me?”)—any of these circumstances …

The Grief of Family Rejection

The Grief of Family Rejection

Published by Jenni Sidey

“I should be happy right now,” Jared said with a sigh. “This weekend is my wedding- this should be the happiest time of my life. But, I can’t focus. I can’t stop thinking about how my father wont be there.” He paused as tears pooled in his eyes. “It’s not fair.” he said, crying. “It’s not fair,” I echoed in agreement. I had been with Jared for years; he contacted me back when he first came out to his family. “I have a feeling this isn’t going to go well,” he had said during his first call, “and I want some support for when that happens.” In my experience, families can be surprising when their loved ones come out as LGBTQ. Sometimes, parents who we think won’t be accepting end up being supportive. Of course, the best scenerio is full, unconditional love and acceptance, which every human being deserves from their family. Unfortunately, Jared’s parents were not surprising. He had grown up in an environment filled with homophobia, and had known from a young age …

Acceptance and Rejection Are Universal

Acceptance and Rejection Are Universal

Published by Jenni Sidey

Relationships are voluntary. Acceptance or rejection are self-chosen personal processes that generate affect states such as liking or disliking, trust or distrust, sincerity or insincerity, and the potential for voluntary relational engagement or disengagement. None of these can be externally coerced. This is not a limitation of individuals or societies but a universal feature of human consciousness and the structure of all relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Deci & Ryan, 2000; Heinämaa, 2020; Korsgaard, 1989; Pietromonaco & Barrett, 1997). This universality begins before consciousness emerges. Human beings are born with biological, neurobiological, and neuromuscular systems that develop to discriminate among survival-relevant stimuli. Newborns show unlearned reactions to sweetness and bitterness (visible in facial expressions and physiological changes), demonstrating sensory evaluation at birth. Early sensory judgements are biologically established and active from the first moments of life. These innate responses are part of holistic, biologically developing systems that guide early orientation towards comfort, safety, and caregiving, long before consciousness and complex cognitive learning are established (Blass & Watt, 1999; Bowlby, 1982; Rosenstein & Oster, 1988). Ongoing …

‘How rejection sensitivity dysphoria almost killed me’

‘How rejection sensitivity dysphoria almost killed me’

Published by Daniella Wilson

I like making pancakes. It’s one of the things I pride myself in being good at. One day, I decided to make pancakes for my partner, and I was very excited. I went to buy the flour, eggs and milk, and as I was stirring the ingredients, she said: “Alex, you’re stirring the ingredients in the wrong order!” It was a throwaway comment. But I remember my euphoria and excitement for the evening instantly disappeared. I almost went non-verbal. I didn’t understand why and how there could be such a drastic change in my mood. I didn’t come across the term RSD – rejection sensitivity dysphoria – until years later. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023, and soon after, started a podcast called ADHD Chatter. I started interviewing everyone I could find. There were lots of familiar stories that came up about this extreme emotional response to perceived or real criticism; that really triggered my awareness of it. Then I started speaking to experts on the topic. I had an awakening on my journey …

The Upside of Professional Rejection

The Upside of Professional Rejection

Published by Daniella Wilson

My relationship with rejection, professionally speaking, is complicated. I’m a writer, and although I’ve been hearing “thanks, but no thanks” in response to pitches since the ’90s, that hasn’t made the no’s easy; I still smart when I think of story ideas that editors swatted away years ago. It’s normal to hear “no” and jump to the conclusion that something is fundamentally wrong—with one’s work or, worse, with oneself. As I’ve aged, however, I’ve found that the disappointment that comes after being rebuffed doesn’t last as long as it used to. In one recent instance, after a longtime collaborator rejected a project I was passionate about, the feeling of dejection never even arrived. Instead, the “no” energized me to find someone else who believed in the idea. Since then, I’ve grown curious about why I responded the way I did—and about whether, in this new year, I might be able to reframe how I see rejection entirely: not as a final answer, but as a provocation or an opportunity. Read: A toast to all the …