Rejection Sensitivity: An ADHD Entrepreneur's Guide to Thrive | Dr. William Dodson
Release Date: 06/10/2024
Masking Is a Pyrrhic Victory: ADHD Women Suffering in Silence Has a Price
The Impulsive Thinker®
You keep your head down, play nice, and still get steamrolled by everyone else's expectations. ADHD isn't the problem — it's the world that ignores how you operate. The Impulsive Thinker® and Dr. Stephen Hinshaw call out what everyone else misses about masking, silence, and the cost of being invisible. In This Episode: ADHD in women and girls — what masking really costs The hidden dangers of suffering in silence Research-backed risks that follow when nobody notices What You'll Take Away: Masking is survival, but it comes at a brutal personal cost For women and girls...
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ADHD Women: Dr. Stephen Hinshaw Exposes What Nobody Measured
The Impulsive Thinker®
What if your “train wreck” 20s and 30s weren’t failure at all — just everyone missing your ADHD diagnosis? The Impulsive Thinker® and Dr. Stephen Hinshaw destroy the old stereotypes on women, masking, and why success leaves so many suffering in silence. In This Episode: What decades-long studies of girls with ADHD actually reveal How masking, missed signs, and stigma sabotage real ADHD Entrepreneur strengths Why negative outcomes are high risk — but not destiny What You'll Take Away: ADHD in women is missed, not rare — the classic “boy” symptoms don’t...
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You Don't Have to Obey Every ADHD Urge as an Entrepreneur
The Impulsive Thinker®
You don't have to obey every urge your ADHD brain throws at you. Most therapy wasn't built for your wiring. The Impulsive Thinker® breaks down DBT for ADHD Entrepreneurs — and why the system doesn't fit until the neurobiology lines up. In This Episode: Why standard DBT misses the mark for ADHD brains The power of not obeying your impulses in real time How a self-applied DBT workbook tackles emotional dysregulation What You'll Take Away: DBT isn't broken — the system just ignores ADHD neurobiology Clinicians not trained in ADHD cause real gaps in support You don't...
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The DBT Skills Workbook for ADHD Entrepreneurs
The Impulsive Thinker®
Standard DBT isn't built for your ADHD brain. Structure, shame, and overwhelm — sound familiar? The Impulsive Thinker® and Scott Spradlin call out where therapy misses neurodivergent entrepreneurs. In This Episode: Where traditional DBT gets ADHD completely wrong Why shame and guilt dominate the ADHD Entrepreneur experience How DBT can finally work when tailored to your actual brain What You'll Take Away: Regimen isn't the answer — acceptance and flexibility matter more ADHD Entrepreneurs fail therapy when therapy fails them "You don’t have to obey your urges" —...
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Why Visionary ADHD Entrepreneurs Need a Finisher Beside Them
The Impulsive Thinker®
You keep doing everything yourself and wonder why nothing gets finished. ADHD isn’t the problem—being measured by society’s stick is. The Impulsive Thinker® gets real about why visionary brains stall and what’s missing. In This Episode: The ADHD debate around medication and side effects Why every visionary needs a finisher — and what happens without one How belief from someone else actually changes outcomes What You'll Take Away: Medication isn’t one-size-fits-all—try it, then decide for yourself Being both the idea generator and finisher is unsustainable for ADHD...
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Dr. Dodson Calls It: ADHD Entrepreneurs Need Implementers, Not More Systems
The Impulsive Thinker®
You can't fake being neurotypical. Meds might help, but systems matter more. If you’re tired of hearing “just try harder,” this is your episode. In This Episode: ADHD thought overwhelm and why “importance” gets you nowhere Personal systems vs. medication for managing ADHD distractions Why neurotypical standards set you up to fail What You'll Take Away: ADHD distraction isn’t external — it’s five conversations in your head at once Medication can help, but it’s never one-size-fits-all Consistency only matters by your measuring stick, not society’s ...
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ADHD Isn't All of You: It's Just a Tool, Not Your Identity
The Impulsive Thinker®
ADHD isn’t a superpower. It’s not a deficit. The world is coded for the wrong operating system — and you’re paying the price every day as an ADHD Entrepreneur. In This Episode: Smashed myths about superpower and deficit labels in ADHD Why interest — not importance — drives ADHD Entrepreneurs Society's measuring stick and how it warps your self-perception What You'll Take Away: ADHD is a brain wiring difference — not your identity School and business systems measure you against the wrong standards Interest is a requirement for action, not a preference Success depends...
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Dr. Dodson: ADHD Strengths Are Only a Problem on Society's Measuring Stick
The Impulsive Thinker®
Tired of “ADHD is a superpower” platitudes? So is The Impulsive Thinker®. This episode tears the mask off what holds ADHD Entrepreneurs back — and what drives them forward when the world has a problem with difference. In This Episode: ADHD strengths that matter in business (and why nobody talks about the cost) The myth of fitting into the neurotypical system — at school and at work What truly motivates and burns out ADHD Entrepreneurs What You'll Take Away: Lipstick-on-a-pig affirmations don’t help ADHD Entrepreneurs — seeing the difference does The world...
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Guilt Comes from Inside — Shame Hits from Outside for ADHD Entrepreneurs
The Impulsive Thinker®
Shame isn't your problem. Toxic shame is. The Impulsive Thinker® cuts straight through what most ADHD Entrepreneur podcasts never talk about. In This Episode: The real difference between shame, toxic shame, and guilt Why self-sabotage is just self-protection for the ADHD brain How a shame-bound identity quietly shapes your work and relationships What You'll Take Away: Shame is a social correction tool — but toxic shame attacks your identity Your brain never got the memo that you’re safe now ADHD Entrepreneurs react to toxic shame, not regular shame Self-sabotage is...
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ADHD Entrepreneurs Collect Shame, Not Feedback — Dr. Shawn Horn Explains Why
The Impulsive Thinker®
Shame isn’t a quirk — it’s a weapon. If you’re sick of feeling like the problem, this episode puts the truth on the table. The Impulsive Thinker® and Dr. Shawn Horn demolish what you think you know about shame. In This Episode: The difference between shame, toxic shame, and guilt How shame-bound identity hijacks your decisions Why ADHD brains get stuck in people pleasing, perfectionism, and self-protection What You'll Take Away: Shame is a social emotion — it starts outside, then you absorb it Toxic shame attacks your identity, not your actions ADHD Entrepreneurs are...
info_outlineAndré, The Impulsive Thinker, sits down with Dr. William Dodson, a top psychiatrist specializing in adult ADHD, to dive deep into Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD). Emotional dysregulation in ADHD is often overwhelming, especially in the U.S. where it's overlooked. Dr. Dodson breaks down what RSD is—a quick, intense emotional response to perceived rejection or failure. It feels unbearable but doesn't last as long as typical mood disorders.
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Guest:
Dr. Dodson is a board-certified adult psychiatrist who was one of the first practitioners to specialize in adults with ADHD 25 years ago. He is the recipient of the national Maxwell J. Schleifer Award for Distinguished Service to Persons with Disabilities in 2006. He was named a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 2012 in recognition of his contributions to the field of adult ADHD.
He is part of a group doing initial research programs to validate the concept of RSD and its treatments. They are recruiting people who are willing to give 20 minutes of their time to participate in the study to determine whether RSD is a distinct syndrome and whether it is invariably associated with ADHD. If you are 18 years of age or older and have been formally diagnosed by a professional and are interested in participating in the study, contact Dr. Dodson directly for the initial screening at billdodson19@gmail.com.