Brave Neurodivergent LinkedIn User Posts About Rejection Sensitivity, Spends Next 72 Hours Experiencing It in Real Time

The Internet—Land of Perpetual Regret—Local neurodivergent warrior and emotional gladiator Bob Farrell took to LinkedIn this week to bravely share his experiences with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), a condition that amplifies the emotional impact of perceived criticism. Within minutes of clicking “Post,” Bob found himself gripped by his greatest fear: absolutely no one engaging with his heartfelt revelations.

“I knew sharing my struggles with RSD would be tough,” Bob admitted while obsessively refreshing his notifications page. “But I didn’t realise the real struggle would be the sound of deafening silence. It’s like screaming into the void, except the void has LinkedIn Premium and still doesn’t care.”

The Post Heard by No One

Bob’s LinkedIn post, eloquently titled “Living with RSD: Why Rejection Feels Like a Soul Punch”, was written after three hours of intense self-doubt, 27 drafts, and an emergency pep talk from his therapist.

“I really thought this was going to connect with people,” Bob said, nervously chewing on his thumbnail. “I used all the right buzzwords: vulnerability, authenticity, synergy. I even threw in a Gandhi quote for good measure.”

But instead of receiving the deluge of likes, shares, and validating comments he had envisioned, Bob’s post was met with a chilling lack of response. As the hours passed without so much as a single “insightful” reaction, Bob’s anxiety skyrocketed.

“Do people hate me? Did I overshare? Was the font too aggressive? Should I have used a stock photo of a sunset instead of that picture of my face? Oh God, was my face the problem?” Bob muttered, spiralling into a vortex of existential despair.

The Algorithm of Shame

Social media experts confirm that LinkedIn’s algorithm is particularly cruel to neurodivergent individuals with RSD.

“LinkedIn is a ruthless jungle,” said Dr. Moira Sighs, a digital psychologist and part-time cynic. “It’s designed to promote engagement, but for someone with RSD, it’s like handing them a loaded emotional weapon and whispering, ‘Go ahead, post your truth.’”

According to Dr. Sighs, LinkedIn’s unique cocktail of professional expectations and performative positivity is a perfect storm for anxiety. “You’re expected to bare your soul but also stay on-brand,” she explained. “It’s vulnerability as a marketing tool, and when it flops, it’s like being rejected twice: once as a human being and again as a product.”

The Phantom Validation Crisis

Bob’s descent into RSD-induced panic reached new depths when he began imagining reasons for the lack of engagement.

? Theory #1: His coworkers had formed a secret Slack channel called “Bob’s Cringe Corner” to mock his post.

? Theory #2: LinkedIn HQ had flagged him as “too sad” and shadowbanned him to maintain the platform’s upbeat vibe.

? Theory #3: Everyone he’s ever met hates him and is actively boycotting his content in a coordinated attack on his fragile self-esteem.

“I know these theories aren’t logical,” Bob said, pacing his living room in his third cup of coffee-induced mania. “But isn’t that exactly what someone who secretly hates me would want me to think?”

The First Comment: A Pyrrhic Victory

After 48 agonising hours, Bob finally received his first comment: “Great post, Bob. Keep sharing!”

“It should’ve been a win,” Bob said, wiping tears from his eyes. “But now I’m overanalyzing that. Did they actually think it was great, or were they just being polite? What does ‘keep sharing’ even mean? Is that code for ‘Your post sucked, but at least you tried?’”

Bob immediately drafted a private message to the commenter, apologising for “taking up their time” and thanking them profusely. “I don’t know why I do this,” Bob said, “but if I don’t, they might think I’m ungrateful, and then they’ll definitely hate me forever.”

The Cycle Continues

Despite his ordeal, Bob has already begun drafting his next LinkedIn post, tentatively titled “The Emotional Minefield of Posting About Emotional Minefields.”

“I know it’s a risk,” Bob said, his finger hovering over the ‘Publish’ button like a soldier about to defuse a bomb. “But maybe this time, people will really see me.”

Experts predict that Bob will spend another 72 hours in an anxiety spiral, alternating between swearing off LinkedIn forever and convincing himself his next post will be the one to finally “breakthrough.”

At press time, Bob was seen typing furiously while mumbling, “What if I just add another Gandhi quote?”

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