Why am I so sensitive: Possible reasons and the best solution to cop with a highly sensitive personality
Are you one of those who often think “Why am I so sensitive?”. Whether it’s just a new environment, a small conflict with your beloved, or even criticism… you just think too deeply about everything.
People often tell you “you’re too sensitive and you need to toughen up”. You are just too tired and frustrated to face all the shit again and again and always end up questioning yourself “why am I so sensitive to everything”.
Don’t worry, stop blaming yourself. One thing you need to understand here is, there is nothing wrong with you. Being a highly sensitive person is not a mental disorder or illness. It’s just a personality trait, like any other individuality out there.
But the question is what is the main reason behind that? I’m sure you would be equally excited to know about that. So, let’s dive into it and try to know more about the highly sensitive personality.
Why am I so sensitive: Possible reasons you must know
Genetic and biological factors
Genetic and biological factors are one of the main reasons behind being a highly sensitive person. Genes play a major role in an individual’s personality traits.
When we are highly sensitive to everything, our way of responding to physical, emotional. And social stimuli and other internal and external factors completely depends on how our nervous system functions.
The thing you need to understand is that it’s not a mental illness or a biological disorder. It’s just a personality trait same as any ordinary person out there.
Childhood trauma or any other unpleasant experience in life
Childhood trauma or traumatic life experience is another one of the main reasons for being a highly sensitive person. Any kind of mental, physical, or sexual abuse or assault at the very early age of a child. Or any age of an individual can be a major cause for that. It not only drastically disturbs you deeply but may also develop a high sensitivity to your personality.
Apart from childhood trauma, if a person has some unpleasant experience in life whether physical, emotional, or even mental it may also be responsible for high sensitivity in an individual.
Overprotective parenting and upbringing
Every parent want to create a safe and secure environment full of comfort for their kids and there is nothing wrong. But sometimes being overprotective and over-caring can affect the nature of the kids. Chances are they would get used to that comfort and face difficulty to handle the situations that other kids handle easily. Being protective parents is understandable but over-protection may not be good all the time.
During the growing years, kids learn so many things naturally including survival skills, coping with odd situations, recognizing unfamiliar things, etc. It’s pretty natural. It develops their creativity and helps them to explore new things. The mind, body, and hormones respond to it and they grow their survival skills knowing the unexplored. And hidden challenges during their growth years.
But when the parents act too protective and create an over-comfy. And safe environment around their kids in their growth years, their subconscious mind can become habituated to that environment. And it may also be one of the reasons for being an over-sensitive person.
Is living in my comfort zone responsible for why am I so sensitive and cry easily
Living too much in your comfort zone might be responsible for your highly sensitive personality.
Have you ever noticed that change in environment, new challenges, circumstances. And even other people’s responses and behaviors toward you affects you more compared to the person who is way more active, adventurous, and loves to face challenges…?
Isn’t it weird? A person who pushes himself beyond his limit involved in physical activities. And loves challenges would not be as sensitive as you are.
One of the best ways to know about this is to just push yourself out of your comfort zone and do all the things that scare you. Work out hard, experience new things, and face challenges. Do it for at least 21 to 40 days and then compare yourself with the previous you. You would answer by yourself.
Thinking Why am I so sensitive? Try these easy and effective steps to cop with your highly sensitive personality
Try to know about your personality trait
One of the best ways of dealing with the situation of being an HSP is to try to know more about yourself. I know it may sound weird but sometimes we don’t know much about our own individuality. And that’s where the problem begins because we compare ourselves with others without even knowing that. Everyone is different and possesses different characteristics.
So, it’s important to understand the situation and react accordingly. The more you know about your personality trait, the easy it becomes to deal with the issues and problems related to it.
Accept the way you are
The main reason for self-suffering is trying hard to become someone else instead of not accepting the way you are.
As soon as you stop pretending to be someone else and accept the way you are. You will start feeling relaxed. But have you ever thought why would a person try to become someone else instead of showing the world the way they are? I think it’s because they want to please others and society’s expectation matters to them. In short, they give too much fucks about everything that’s why they want to please everyone.
At this point in time, you have to understand the fact that your neuron system is wired like that and it’s pretty normal.
Let them acknowledge your personality trait
It might be quite irritating and frustrating when people keep telling you that you are “too sensitive”, you need to toughen up yourself, bla bla bla… and the worst part is they start judging you without even knowing their own negative points in their personality.
Just because they are in majority, it’s normal and accepted by society. I mean, does that even make sense?
Instead of thinking why am I so sensitive emotionally let them just acknowledge you. Let them know how you feel and the challenges you face during your everyday life.
I’m sure they would understand that and would be more supportive after knowing it. Don’t fight shame about telling them you are an HSP. You would feel more comfortable and relaxed with them if they are supportive and really care about you.
Connect with supportive and mindful people
This one is going to be an awesome step toward a happy and peaceful life especially when you are faded up thinking why am I so sensitive to criticism? When you connect with supportive and mindful people who understand your highly sensitive personality, you learn how to avoid the negative and toxic people in your life, which is a positive change itself in everyone’s life.
Remember, a huge part of challenges and problems is just because of that judgmental and toxic type of personality who just can’t stomach why someone else is different and not following society’s norms.
And when you cut them off and start networking with supporting and mindful people who understand you and your issues, life becomes much easier no matter what personality trait you have. Challenges would come for sure but the difference is you would know the best way to deal with them, and that’s what matters the most.
Challenge yourself
Challenging yourself is not a piece of cake for everyone, especially for those who don’t want to leave their comfort zone. Sorry, don’t get hurt… Look dear, my purpose is to motivate all the people out there who are dealing with their problems alone because I know how it feels when you are different from society and there is no one to understand you.
That’s why it is important to grow each day and take one step ahead but the problem is most people just read the blog and get back to their old daily routine. They don’t take it seriously. As a result, they don’t see any change in their life.
But the interesting part is if you challenge yourself and take one step ahead toward the change(no matter how small or big), you’re gonna see the difference in a positive way for sure. So start challenging yourself, set small goals/targets, and achieve them.
Focus on the positive side of your personality
Every personality trait comes with its pros and cons, it’s up to you how you use it to make your as well as your beloved’s life beautiful and meaningful.
No doubt, if you focus on the negative side of a particular thing, you would see only disadvantages but when you focus on the positive side of it you would see the advantage and would be grateful for what you have.
So it’s better to focus on the bright side of this personality trait because as we know a highly sensitive person possesses much more quality compared to a non-HSP.
Practice Meditation on a regular basis
Being a highly sensitive person you are gonna have great benefits from practicing meditation on a regular basis. It may help you reduce over-stimuli and monitor your thoughts, especially the negative ones. It will enhance your relaxation and calm your stress and anxiety. Meditation also brings awareness and helps you control your thought process.
Positive Affirmations work magically
Apart from meditation, you can also use positive affirmation techniques to cope with your highly sensitive nature. Affirmation really works, all you need is consistency and discipline.
Commanding and giving signals to your subconscious mind by positive affirmation may be very affecting to improve your thought process. It might be a slow process so you have to be patient. There are several guided videos of positive affirmation for an HSP. You can also take help from those videos. It may help you to deal with your everyday issues related to your HSP.
Experience new things
Experiencing new things will allow you to leave your comfort zone. What I mean by experiencing new things is to explore more. And more whether it’s a new opportunity to visit a new place, meet new people, or even other exciting. And challenging things which are slightly different from your everyday routine.
Allow the change in your life and let your body and mind respond the way they usually do, just keep in mind your mind “it’s completely okay” and “positive”. The more you confront new experiences the more your mind and body normalize them.
Avoid overreacting
I understand, nobody wants to overreact but the problem is we don’t realize that we are overreacting on particular issues. The people around us usually tell us that we are overreacting. You may realize that later when you think about that.
Being a highly sensitive person overreacting to small issues may be a common problem. Sometimes overreacting can affect our relationships, our public image as well as our professional life.
But if we put in a little bit of effort, think before reacting, and control our emotions then we can control them. I understand it’s not that easy especially when you are an HSP but you can at least give it a try.
The bottom line
We all are born with different personality traits and struggle with them alone. Instead of thinking “Why am I so sensitive” it’s better to try to find out the main reason for that because once you have the reason for a particular problem, you find the solution soon. The same goes for when you are a highly sensitive person and trying to find out why I am so sensitive and emotional.
Hope, all the points mentioned in this post would help you to deal with your problem and all the changes would bring positivity and happiness to your life. If you still feel it’s out of control then I would suggest you not feel ashamed to take the help of a professional.
