RSD P6
This excerpt from an ADHD Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) toolkit presents three reflective prompts designed to interrupt negative rumination. Prompt 4 asks the user to question the absolute truth of a distressing narrative, encouraging alternative explanations. Prompt 5 helps the user identify whether current emotional reactions are being triggered by past painful experiences. Prompt 6 invites the user to extend the same compassion they would give a friend, reframing the situation with empathy. Each prompt includes a brief purpose statement, a concrete example response, and a “Pro Tip” suggesting that even bullet‑point answers can re‑engage the pre‑frontal cortex and break the spiral of negative thoughts.
Topics
Prompt 4 – Questioning Narrative Certainty
Encourages users to challenge the belief that a distressing story is 100 % true, offering alternative, less catastrophic explanations.
Prompt 5 – Linking Current Feelings to Past Pain
Guides users to recognize when present emotional reactions may be overlaid with memories of earlier hurtful experiences.
Prompt 6 – Extending Compassion to Self
Invites users to speak to themselves as they would a friend, fostering self‑compassion and reducing catastrophic assumptions.
Pro Tip – Using Bullet Answers to Disrupt Rumination
Suggests that brief, bullet‑point responses to the prompts can still activate the prefrontal cortex and halt spiraling thoughts.