RSD visible in children as young as 2–3 years old
Rejection sensitivity can be observed as early as age 2 or 3, suggesting it has strong developmental and likely genetic roots.
Snapshot · Modern Wisdom
The Hidden Psychology Of Highly Sensitive People - Dr Sasha Hamdani - #1147
Explore episode
Sep 7, 2026
Where this was said
Are We Born Sensitive?
At 1:10:25 · chapter starts 1:09:59
Chris asks how early childhood shapes sensitivity, and Dr. Hamdani explains the interaction between genetic predisposition and environment: a chaotic or unstable home trains children into chronic hypervigilance that can amplify whatever innate sensitivity they carry. Rejection sensitivity, she notes, can be observed as early as age 2 or 3. The conversation then turns to a parenting anecdote — her son's tantrum over wanting the heel of a loaf of bread — that becomes a surprisingly rich vehicle for the episode's central philosophical tension. Rather than dismissing the tantrum as ridiculous, she took the time to help her son discover for himself that he didn't actually want the heel. The insight: it's not the parent's job to invalidate the feeling, but to create space for the child to move through it to their own conclusion. [1] — Dr. Sasha Hamdani "RSD visible in children as young as 2–3 years old: Rejection sensitivity can be observed as early as age 2 or 3, suggesting it has strong d…" 1:10:25
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