RSD Shutdown? What does that look like?

Hello. I have been diagnosed both ADHD and more recently ASD, and in the past couple weeks I’ve had several things that might be shutdowns but I’m not quite sure what triggered them. I feel stiff in my chest and stop stimming altogether. It gets really hard to talk, like the very thought of moving might shatter me into a million painful pieces. Recently, I was told by a couple friends that I’ve been talking too much about my recent ASD diagnosis, and while they were both fair and kind about it, I had to go lock myself in my room for a couple hours until I could rejoin civilized society. I didn’t do anything during that time.

is this a shutdown? Is it common for RSD to cause shutdowns or meltdowns?

comments are appreciated

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  • Rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is a term used to describe a condition where individuals experience intense emotional pain and distress in response to perceived rejection, criticism, or social disapproval. While it can occur in people without ASD, RSD is commonly associated with autism, and research suggests that individuals with autism are more likely to experience it due to differences in brain structure and social processing abilities.