10 Struggles of Being a Highly Sensitive Person

10 Struggles of Being a Highly Sensitive Person

Are you someone who gets very emotional frequently? If so, it can be overwhelming and tiring. It can leave you wondering why you are so deeply affected by things when others seem to just shake it off. People often point out sensitivity in others, leading to feelings of inferiority and weakness in the individual. It can be a lonely place. But while some may view this as though there's something wrong with the person or some kind of flaw, it actually isn't the case. Heightened sensitivity has to do with a hypersensitive nervous system, and believe it or not, it comprises about 20% of the population. As a highly sensitive person, there are highs and lows. Sometimes it can be a great thing, and other times it can make dealing with situations challenging and stressful. But in either case, one thing is for sure, you feel things much more deeply than most others do. Here are 10 struggles of being a highly sensitive person.

Number 1 – You Criticize Yourself A lot You tend to be very hard on yourself, setting high expectations, sometimes seemingly unattainable goals and standards. And when you are unable to meet those goals, you criticize yourself. In a way, you set yourself up for some real challenges, while putting little emphasis on any success you have along the way. And ultimately, your view of accomplishment and way of doing things leaves you feeling like a failure because you feel like you just aren't good enough to accomplish anything. It's a vicious cycle.

Number 2 – You Fear Rejection You have a tough time dealing with rejection, and your anxious nature only makes it harder. It pushes your feelings to another level. This is, of course, felt the most when it comes to romantic relationships because of the intricacies involved. You feel it right from the start as you begin to involve yourself with someone new. The fear of opening up and being vulnerable sparks feelings of uneasiness and insecurity. And so you find it difficult to let go and trust the person. Unfortunately, this fear and insecurity is crippling and can be so strong that you end up breaking off the relationship. This can impact other areas of your life as well because it often prevents you from going after things such as a promotion at your job or starting that side hustle you've wanted to for as long as you can remember.

Number 3 – You Take Things Personally It's often the case that those with a heightened sensitivity don't take well to playful insults or jabs. But this probably comes as no surprise. And while everyone, from time to time, ponders on the words and actions of others, and most are able to let those thoughts go, sensitive individuals can hang on to them, sometimes even a single comment, for long periods where it can take a toll on their wellbeing. You can find yourself tangled in thoughts and analysis if a comment contradicts how you expect to be perceived.

Number 4 – Your Stress Becomes Physical Pain After some time, when you're overwhelmed with feelings of stress, you can start to notice symptoms turning physical in the form of headaches, stomach problems, and other issues. And it can all start with an isolated incident that caused you to be upset, or it can happen over time where an accumulation of negative thoughts becomes too much.

Number 5 – You have a Hard Time Accepting Critical Feedback It's already hard enough as is for a highly sensitive person as they struggle daily with thoughts of how others perceive them. But this gets much worse when they have to deal with something like a review at work or any situation where there's a possibility of being negatively judged for one reason or another. In addition, receiving any negative criticism serves as a kind of confirmation for the insults you've already thrown at yourself internally.

Number 6 – You're Emotionally Reactive Highly sensitive people have a very strong connection with their emotions, and even insignificant situations can really shake them up. Of course, everyone has their moments and can become upset when something major happens. But you frequently become frustrated and stressed over even the smallest things, and you're prone to overreacting to things that don't matter so much or have little impact on your life. Because of your tendency to exaggerate things, your life can seem like a never-ending soap opera.

Number 7 – You Are Easily Distracted By External Stimuli As I mentioned in the previous point, even the smallest things can become stressors for those who are sensitive, and this is also the case with stimuli as these individuals process things more deeply than others do. Anything that is spontaneous, such as loud sounds, bright lights, crowds, and smells, can be triggers and distractions as you always like to be prepared for different situations. Thus, any stimulus can be a shock to your hypersensitive system.

Number 8 – Group Outings Challenge You As a highly sensitive person, you tend to be much better at one-on-one interactions. It's just easier for you; it's more focused. When others come along or join in, things can get a bit messy as you find yourself struggling to win over the attention of others, or just to feel like you are being heard in a group of people. For this reason, group outings usually leave you feeling exhausted.

Number 9 – Driving Can Be Stressful Driving can be yet another daunting challenge for overly-sensitive people. This means trips take longer than they should because you opt for side streets, rather than taking the highway, for example, mainly because your anxiety levels go through the roof when you encounter traffic, leading to yet another rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts.

Number 10 – Social Media Makes You Unhappy As a sensitive person, you already have a hard enough time in the real world. But, once you hit Instagram or Facebook, it just goes further downhill. In a virtual world where everyone and their life seems perfect, you easily get sucked into comparing yourself to others. This is quite detrimental, as it starts to get those thoughts of inadequacy going. You sit there with worsening thoughts as you obsess over the superficial profiles of other people. Yet, somehow you can't seem to stop.

Surely, if you made it this far in the video, you can see just how challenging it is to be highly sensitive. But, although it has many drawbacks, it does have advantages. Some of the most creative, talented, thoughtful, and insightful people belong to this group. The best way to strive as a highly sensitive person is to put your best foot forward; use your strengths. And practice keeping disadvantages from taking over. If you enjoyed this video, give it a thumbs-up, and share it with your friends, so we can keep making them.