Why Does Everybody Hate Me?: Living and Loving with Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is a state of emotional dysregulation experienced by almost everyone with ADHD. For those who live with it, rejection is physically painful—even minor criticism stings deeply. By age 12, many have internalized 20,000 negative messages about themselves and their neurodivergent way of living. Alex Partridge knows this experience firsthand. As founder of the global social media brands UniLad and LadBible, neurodiversity campaigner, and host of ADHD Chatter, he has been shaped by the fear of rejection, labeled as over-sensitive, and caught between people-pleasing and self-protection. In this book, he draws on his own journey through RSD to explore how it has affected his entrepreneurial success, relationships, mental health, and sense of belonging. Using insights from leading ADHD experts, Partridge offers practical steps for rebuilding boundaries, confidence, and self-belief. The core message: you are not too sensitive, nor are you broken.