Does rejection therapy actually work?

About this episode

The episode explores the concept of rejection therapy and its effectiveness in overcoming the fear of rejection.

What if the best way to stop fearing rejection is to seek it out? Rejection therapy - the idea of deliberately putting yourself in situations where you might be rejected - has exploded on social media. From asking strangers for favours to dancing on trains, people are documenting their experiences online. Supporters say it helps people build resilience, reduce anxiety and stop taking rejection personally. But does rejection therapy actually work? Or is it just another viral self‑help trend? In this episode, Claudia Hammond, a psychologist and BBC presenter, helps us unpack where rejection therapy came from, what psychology says about it, and why it’s taken off on platforms like TikTok. We also hear from Sophie Jones, who’s gone viral for her videos on the topic. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Baldeep Chahal, Chelsea Coates and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Verity Wilde

People in this episode

Host: Hannah Gelbart

Guest: Sophie Jones

Topics covered

• rejection therapy
• psychology
• social media
• anxiety
• resilience
• self-help

Keywords

• rejection therapy
• anxiety
• resilience
• social media
• self-help
• psychology
• TikTok

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC, BBC World Service

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