Why do so many gay men struggle with deep fears of rejection—whether in dating, friendships, or even at work? In this episode, we’re unpacking rejection sensitivity: where it comes from, how it shows up in everyday life, and why it can feel so intense for us.Some of the topics we cover:The early roots of rejection sensitivity (hint: it starts young)How social norms, internalized homophobia, and shame wire us for hypervigilanceThe impact of dating app culture and body-focused rejectionSigns you might be stuck in a rejection sensitivity loopPractical ways to heal and build resilienceIf you’ve ever felt crushed by criticism, avoided risks to protect yourself, or wrestled with feelings of “never enough,” this one’s for you.Related Episodes:RejectionFear of RejectionToday's Hosts:Michael DiIorioMatt LandsiedelReno JohnstonSupport the Show - viewer and listener support helps us to continue making episodes- CONNECT WITH US -Watch podcast episodes on YouTubeJoin the Gay Men's Brotherhood Facebook communityGet on our email list to get access to our monthly Zoom calls Follow us on Instagram | TikTok Learn more about our community at GayMenGoingDeeper.com- LEARN WITH US -Building Better Relationships online course: Learn how to nurture more meaningful and authentic connections with yourself and others.Healing Your Shame online course: Begin the journey toward greater confidence and self-worth by learning how to recognize and deal with toxic shame. Gay Men Going Deeper Coaching Collection: Lifetime access to BOTH courses + 45 coaching videos and 2 workshop series. Take the Attachment Style Quiz to determine your attachment style and get a free report.