Emotional Overload Disorder (EOD): A Multi-Perspective Theory of Emotional Collapse

Important Clarification: This theory is not an extension of Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD). It is a replacement. RSD was the first clinical recognition of this experience, but it failed to capture the full neurological collapse, identity fragmentation, and relational damage at the heart of the condition. Emotional Overload Disorder (EOD) is not a more detailed RSD — it is the true architecture that RSD only hinted at.A Note on Defensive Framing: Human systems rely on labels to feel safe — and when they don't understand something, they will file it under the wrong category. That's what happened to RSD: it was flattened, misused, and eventually discarded. To prevent that from happening again, this theory goes on the defensive first. Every comparison is addressed. Every misdiagnosis is accounted for. EOD is not just another emotional label. It is a distinct neurological phenomenon with a defined pattern, origin, and failure point. It cannot be substituted, simplified, or repackaged under another name — and any attempt to do so must be seen as a failure to grasp the full scope of the condition.Emotional Overload Disorder (EOD) is a proposed neurological-emotional condition distinct from but often misdiagnosed as Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), or general emotional dysregulation. EOD describes a full-system emotional collapse rooted in neurological overload, where internal emotional governance fails in response to perceived disqualification, betrayal, or withdrawal of emotional safety. Unlike traditional interpretations of "rejection," EOD reframes the condition through a neurobiological, relational, and behavioral lens. This theory integrates multiple perspectives to offer a comprehensive, actionable model for understanding, recognizing, and eventually treating this overlooked experience.