“It’s Not You, It’s My Brain: Coaching, Feedback, and RSD”
Being a rugby coach is a strange mix of hype speeches, clipboards, and wondering if your players actually understood what you just said about ruck technique. Add ADHD into the mix, and suddenly feedback- whether from players, parents, or other coaches can feel like a surprise tackle you weren’t braced for. And if you’re familiar with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), you know that sometimes even the gentlest “Hey, maybe try this next time” can feel like your entire existence has been red-carded. So let’s talk about it. What RSD Feels Like in Coaching RSD isn’t just “taking things personally.” It’s your nervous system going into full meltdown over a comment that wasn’t even meant harshly. It can feel like: • A sudden drop in your stomach when someone points out a mistake. • That hot, flushed embarrassment that makes you want to vanish into the nearest changing room. • A spiral of overthinking: Do they hate me? Should I even be coaching? Maybe I’ll just become ...