If you’re a marketer with ADHD, you already know the creative highs: brilliant ideas, out-of-the-box campaigns, a knack for spotting trends before the algorithm even wakes up. But you also know the lows: that sinking pit in your stomach when someone says “this draft isn’t quite right.”
Enter Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), the ADHD sidekick no one asked for. RSD is basically emotional kryptonite: the intense fear or pain triggered by even perceived rejection. (Key word: perceived. Sometimes nobody rejected you, your brain just decided to cosplay as a Shakespearean tragedy anyway.)
In marketing, where feedback, critique, and client “suggestions” are daily bread, RSD can feel like a career death trap. But don’t panic, it’s survivable. With the right hacks (and some sarcastic humour), you can stop RSD from running your marketing career like a tyrant with a clipboard.
Why RSD Hits Marketers So Hard
Marketing is rejection-heavy by design:
- Clients want revisions.
- Campaigns flop.
- Ads get roasted in the comments section.
- Bosses ask, “Can we make this go viral?” like you control the internet.
For ADHD marketers with RSD, every critique feels like:
- “You’re untalented.”
- “You’re a fraud.”
- “You should probably just move to the woods and become a mushroom farmer.”
Spoiler: none of that is true. But good luck convincing your amygdala.
ADHD-Friendly Strategies to Manage RSD
1. Reframe Feedback as Free Consulting
Client says, “This headline isn’t working”? Old you: spirals into shame. New you: “Ah, free market research, thank you!”
It’s not rejection, it’s intel. (Even if it’s badly delivered intel wrapped in passive-aggressive tone.)
2. Name the Beast
When RSD hits, call it out. Literally say to yourself: “This is RSD, not reality.” ADHD brains love labels. Slapping a name on the monster takes away half its power.
3. Build a Rejection Cushion (aka The Receipts Folder)
Save every compliment, testimonial, or “amazing work!” email in one folder. When RSD tells you you’re worthless, open the folder. Boom: instant self-esteem IV drip.
4. Delay the Spiral
Impulse control isn’t an ADHD specialty, but try this: before reacting to criticism, wait 24 hours. Don’t fire off a panicked “SORRY I’LL FIX EVERYTHING” email at midnight. Sleep, snack, hydrate. Then respond like the calm, collected marketer you’re pretending to be.
5. Redefine “Rejection”
Not every “no” is personal. Sometimes it’s budget. Sometimes it’s timing. Sometimes the client just prefers Comic Sans (pray for them).
The point: rejection in marketing rarely equals “you’re a failure.” It usually equals “we need a different approach.”
6. Hype Squad on Speed Dial
ADHD marketers need external validation (sorry, it’s true). Have 1–2 trusted people you can message when RSD flares. “They hated my copy!” Cue friend replying, “No, they hated the font. Chill.” Perspective restored.
7. Learn the Client Bingo Game
Common phrases that trigger RSD:
- “This isn’t quite what we had in mind.”
- “Can you try a different direction?”
- “My cousin looked at it and said…”
Translation: normal client-speak. Not evidence you’re bad at your job. Treat it like bingo. Every time you hear one, mark a square. Five in a row = you win a snack break.
8. Therapy, Coaching, and Coping Tools
Yes, humour is great, but sometimes RSD needs heavier artillery. Therapy, ADHD coaching, and techniques like CBT or mindfulness can help you separate feelings from facts. Because spoiler: your worth isn’t tied to the success of that Facebook carousel ad.
Real-World ADHD Marketing Scenarios
- Scenario 1: Client says, “We’ll need to revise this social strategy.” Your brain: “I am useless and should move to Mars.”
- Scenario 2: Same client, same sentence. You think: “Great, they want adjustments. Normal part of the process.” You tweak, improve, and get paid. No spiral required.
No matter how many strategies you learn, RSD won’t vanish. You’ll still feel the sting of critique more than your neurotypical peers. You’ll still occasionally spiral over an offhand comment like “hmm.”
But here’s the difference: you don’t have to let RSD run the show. With practice, you can move from “every rejection ruins my career” to “rejection is data, not doom.”
And let’s be honest, if rejection really ended careers, no marketer would survive past week two.
Quick Cheatsheet: RSD Survival for ADHD Marketers
- Feedback = free intel.
- Name it: “This is RSD.”
- Receipts folder = confidence boost.
- Wait 24 hours before spiralling.
- Rejection ≠ personal.
- Have a hype squad.
- Client bingo = humour therapy.
Marketing careers are built on experimentation, feedback, and, yes, rejection. For ADHD marketers with RSD, rejection feels catastrophic. But it doesn’t have to define you.
You are not your failed campaign. You are not your client’s nitpick. You are not your brain’s worst-case scenario. You are a creative powerhouse who just happens to feel rejection at volume 100.
So build systems, use humour, lean on your hype squad, and remember: thriving in marketing isn’t about avoiding rejection. It’s about learning to face it, survive it, and keep pitching anyway.
Because the only true rejection in marketing is quitting before your best idea gets its shot.
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