There is an emotion wheel sitting on my desk. I used to sit with it with my children, trying to name what we were all feeling. I could find the simple words easily enough. But as we moved outward, toward the nuance, the gradations, the specific textures of feeling, I got lost. Completely and quietly lost.

If you recognise that experience, feeling deeply and intensely, and yet struggling to locate or describe what is actually happening inside you, there is a name for it. It is called alexithymia. And if you are autistic or have ADHD, there is a significant chance it is part of your experience too.

You are not too sensitive. You are not overreacting. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is a physiological reality for many ADHD and Autistic mothers — and the postpartum period amplifies it. This guide covers what RSD actually looks like, what sets it off, and practical somatic tools designed for your nervous system.

ADHD burnout in new mothers is often mistaken for postpartum exhaustion. Learn the signs, why ADHD moms are more vulnerable, and gentle recovery strategies.