How to Cope with Excessive Sensitivity

It is natural to approach situations and events with sensitivity and to be affected by even the smallest actions around us. Sometimes, however, things may go too far, shifting from the ordinary sensitivity everyone experiences to excessive sensitivity that affects your life, your interactions with others, and the smallest details of your daily routine.

How do you know if you are highly sensitive?

Highly sensitive people make up around 20% of the population. A highly sensitive person has a central nervous system that is excessively sensitive to emotional, social, and physical situations. Being highly sensitive does not mean that you have a mental illness. Rather, it is a personality trait indicating that you are especially sensitive to positive and negative events in your life.

The type of sensitivity differs from one person to another. Someone may be deeply affected by beauty, whether in art, nature, the beauty of the human spirit, or an attractive advertisement. They may feel overwhelmed by noisy crowds, bright lights, or uncomfortable clothing, or feel the need to take a break from everything—especially during difficult days, when they may want to retreat to a quiet, dark room.

What causes excessive sensitivity?

Causes of excessive sensitivity include a lack of affection from parents during childhood and exposure to upsetting situations early in life. Childhood trauma can also lead to heightened sensitivity as you grow older.

Astudy(2011.Lardinois) confirmed that childhood trauma affects a person’s psychological well-being in the future and increases sensitivity to stress. Genetics also play a role in the development of excessive sensitivity, as it can be inherited from parents. In other words, you have a greater chance of developing this trait if a member of your family has it. We can therefore see that excessive sensitivity depends on several factors, including a person’s environment, genetics, and childhood experiences. It can also increase the chance of survival because highly sensitive people are extremely cautious about any danger they face. On the other hand, constant caution without a logical reason can lead to anxiety.

People commonly confuse excessive sensitivity with other conditions they may experience, such as:

1. Introversion resembles excessive sensitivity because both can cause anxiety and tension under certain circumstances. However, introverts are mainly uncomfortable in social settings, such as large crowds and parties. In addition to these situations, highly sensitive people are also affected by bright lighting and loud music.
2. Autism is often confused with excessive sensitivity, but the difference is that an autistic person may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive in the situations they encounter. Astudy(Robertsort.2013) found a relationship between autism and sensitivity, as autism is associated with either increased or reduced sensitivity when a person encounters different sensory stimuli.
3. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has many characteristics in common with excessive sensitivity. However, people with ADHD also have other symptoms, such as difficulty paying attention and concentrating.

How does excessive sensitivity affect your life?

Excessive sensitivity affects different aspects of your life. You may find yourself quickly moved by beautiful emotional moments, such as crying while watching a touching video. You may give a great deal of attention to those around you and form strong relationships with others because you support and stand by the people you love. On the positive side, you appreciate life’s simplest blessings, such as a delicious meal or a beautiful song. Although you may feel constantly anxious, you are often grateful for the life you lead. Feeling enthusiastic about simple things strengthens your relationships with others and brings emotional satisfaction.

How can you overcome excessive sensitivity?

There are several ways to help you reduce and manage excessive sensitivity, including:

• Turn off your phone one or two hours before bedtime and do relaxing activities, such as reading. You should also establish a morning routine that helps you begin your day calmly, such as setting aside around half an hour for meditation, yoga, or reading a magazine.
• Identify situations that trigger excessive sensitivity, such as noise or bright lighting, and try to avoid them as much as possible. You could watch quiet films, avoid peak hours when visiting a restaurant, or use noise-canceling headphones and listen to calm music.
• Make sure your work environment is comfortable. If your workplace exposes you to intense pressure and constant stress, this will not only affect your psychological well-being but may also cause health problems such as stomach ulcers, digestive disorders, or sleep problems. Try to change your workplace if you experience this. Although the decision may be difficult, you will be grateful that you made it later.
• Look at the positive side of having this trait. You may sometimes wish that you were not so easily affected by other people’s criticism, noise, or similar things because they make you feel weak, ashamed, or embarrassed. On the other hand, excessive sensitivity can make you loyal, creative, and appreciative of art.
• Take a break from time to time and spend some time alone in nature or in a quiet place where you can rest and relax. You could also practice yoga or exercise. This can help you return to your life with renewed energy and enthusiasm to continue and create. According to astudy(Hebert.2016), meditation helps improve mental health and quality of life, raises awareness of the need to care for your body, improves your ability to concentrate, and regulates emotions. You can do this once a month or several times a week.
• Distance yourself from what bothers you. If a colleague’s loud voice while speaking on the phone disturbs you, tell them and politely ask them to lower their voice and speak quietly. If the way someone speaks to you bothers you, address it with them and ask them to speak to you more appropriately. Remember to be tactful; there is no need to be rude.

Ask for help if you feel unable to overcome your sensitivity alone. You can contact your therapist through the Tatmeen app for help developing suitable ways to manage excessive sensitivity and channel it toward positive goals.

Download the Tatmeen app for online psychological and family counseling from the App Store or Google Play. You can also register on the Tatmeen mental health website to access valuable information and practical tools for strengthening your mental health.

Studies

·    Lardinois M. Childhood trauma and increased stress sensitivity psychosis. Acta Psychiatr Scand.2011;123(1):28-35

·    Robertson A.E. The relationship between sensory sensitivity and autistic traits in the general population. J Autism Dev Disord.2013;43(4):774-84

·    Hebert K.R. The association between sensory processing styles and mindfulness. British Journal of Occupational Therapy.2016