Why We People Please: RSD, Boundaries & Rejection in AuDHD | With Tasha

Why does rejection feel so overwhelming? Why do so many AuDHD people apologise constantly, struggle to say no, and put everyone else’s needs before their own?

In this episode of AuDHD and Then Some, Ellie is joined by Tasha for an open and honest conversation about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), people pleasing, masking, and the emotional impact of growing up feeling misunderstood.

Together, they explore why rejection can feel physically painful, how people pleasing often develops as a survival strategy, and why setting boundaries can be one of the hardest—but most important—things neurodivergent people learn to do.

Whether you’re autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, or simply relate to the fear of letting people down, this episode will help you understand that you’re not “too sensitive”—your experiences make sense.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

• People pleasing and trauma responses

• ADHD, autism and AuDHD

• Masking and self-abandonment

• Boundaries without guilt

• Fear of rejection

• Emotional regulation

• Self-worth and healing

If this conversation resonates with you, this month’s workbook in the Ellie AuDHD Subscribers Hub explores RSD and people pleasing in more depth, with practical exercises and gentle reflections to help you understand yourself with greater compassion.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow AuDHD and Then Some, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that they were never “too much”—they were simply trying to survive in a world that didn’t always understand them.

#AuDHD #ADHD #Autism #Neurodivergent #RSD #PeoplePleasing #Boundaries #Masking #MentalHealth #EmotionalRegulation