Why Does Everybody Hate Me? - by Alex Partridge (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Your boss asked you for a chat, and you just knew you were going to be fired
You didn't sleep all weekend, and you weren't fired

Someone answered your message with a thumbs-up emoji and you just knew they hated you.
So you stopped talking to them, they eventually stopped texting, and now you miss them like crazy

Someone went for a bathroom break mid-film, and you just knew it's because they think your taste in films is terrible
You were so upset you missed the rest of the film, and they left early

Rejection is physically painful for you. Even the most minor criticism stings. And why wouldn't it? By the time you were 12, you'd received 20,000 negative messages about yourself, your brain and your unique ADHD way of living life.

20,000.

Alex Partridge knows how it feels to live with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), the state of emotional dysregulation experienced by almost everyone with ADHD. Throughout his journey from successful entrepreneur to neurodiversity campaigner and host of the hugely successful ADHD Chatter, Alex has been haunted by the fear of rejection, labelled 'over-sensitive', and fought constantly against the desire to people-please and protect himself from emotional harm.

In Why Does Everybody Hate Me? Alex draws on his own experience of RSD, and shares how it's colored every aspect of his life, from his days as founder of the global social media content brands UniLad and LadBible, to his adult relationships, his mental health struggles and his terrible imposter syndrome. He'll use the insights he's gained from the world's top experts on ADHD to share with you some simple steps to regaining your boundaries, your confidence and your self-belief.

You are not 'too sensitive' - nor are you broken. You were always enough.

Review Quotes

[Alex's book] is thorough, articulate, beautifully written, and validating for people with RSD. It is perfectly crafted for all those whose lives are distorted by perceptions of being hated, but who here can feel seen and accepted. A wonderful and much needed contribution.--William Dodson, MD, LF-APA

It takes a true visionary and a genuinely passionate advocate to take on something as painfully misunderstood as Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, and Alex Partridge is that person. This passionate and profoundly moving book speaks directly to all those who struggle with one of the most challenging elements of ADHD, reassuring them that their lives do not need to be blighted by these awful feelings and offering them a guiding light in the darkness. Brilliant, honest, beautiful, and essential reading for all of us in the ADHD community - and beyond.--Edward Hallowell, MD

RSD is very real; Alex knows what he is talking about, and is a crucial voice on neurodivergence. This book is a great tonic for anyone who struggles with rejection.--Matt Haig

So few people understand how painful RSD is to live with, and how it can affect every part of someone's life. Alex really gets it. By bringing RSD out of the shadows in this brilliant book, he takes away the stigma and the shame, replacing them with compassion, understanding and hope.--Dr Alex George

About the Author

Alex Partridge is a pioneer of social media content as we know it today, and founded UNILAD and LADBible at the age of 21. In 2017 Alex fought and won a major legal dispute over the ownership of UNILAD (having left his editorial role in 2013 while remaining a shareholder).

Having uncoupled himself from both brands, Alex is now a neurodiversity and mental health advocate and has spoken widely on how the stress of litigation tipped him into alcoholism. Aged 34, he was diagnosed with ADHD and has quickly developed a social media platform around neurodiversity. He hosts the chart-topping podcast ADHD Chatter, which attracts an audience of thousands every week. Alex's first book, Now It All Makes Sense was published in 2025 and instantly became a Sunday Times bestseller.