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Looking after ourselves

ProbNotSane
Casual Contributor

Being overly sensitive

I cry too easily over small things people say. I hate it and I hate myself for it. Whenever someone says something offensive to me tears always start running down my face, I feel so stupid and am an idiot for it sometimes but it's uncontrollable. I want to be able to control my emotions more easily and I want advice from someone who struggled with this.

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Being overly sensitive

@ProbNotSane 

 

To cry is to reach out.

 

---

 

There are various electrical forces which go against our head. As we shape them it is the sub, con, suss. 

 

They are always against what you feel.

 

But they are not what you feel.

 

Feeling is here and with. 

And sense is of here and with. 

Everything feels here and with, it's what everything is.

People are not the things against them 

 

---

 

Crying is to reach out.

 

But remember that there are things going against our head.

 

The things we are with are here and with.

That's what's they are.

 

--

 

You don't have to reach out.

 

They are here and with.

Not the things against them.

 

*hug*

Re: Being overly sensitive

It sounds like you are frustrated at the way you react sometimes, but it also sounds like you’ve been carrying some burdens. I’m sorry you feel this way, it must be really difficult. I have struggled too with reactivity but less so with crying and more with anger. 

 

The key for me in CBT and DBT was learning that just because I am triggered or I feel a certain way, doesn’t mean I have to act on it. I have the power to choose how I react. This is the hardest part though as my usual and learned reaction is to just “ragequit” as they say. I use a trigger plan. I know what my triggers are, I’m slowly learning to notice when my triggers arise, and have a plan i.e okay my trigger is _____, so when I feel triggered, I’m going to step outside and have 1 minute of fresh air. It’s very very difficult but it gets easier with time. I’m not a psychologist but this is what I learned from them. 

 

I do find that people who are usually highly sensitive are also highly empathetic. I recently watched someone anecdotally talking about cognitive reprocessing, and how for whatever behaviour we have, there’s usually a positive alternative or at least good intention. For example, I have OCD tendencies which admittedly sometimes get out of control, but the good I can acknowledge that comes from it is I’m always prepared for a crisis, I value hygiene (always a plus!) and others can trust my house is very clean. 

 

It may be true that you are very sensitive. Some people just are, and some people have been through horrible things. But there will be positive sides to this. Do go gently. 

 

-GraceUponGrace x

Re: Being overly sensitive

Hey there @ProbNotSane and welcome to the forums! Thank you for sharing how you're feeling and what you are experiencing.

 

I really resonate with what you're saying about your reactions to certain things being uncontrollable, and how you cant' help but break out into tears when things offend or hurt you. Are you currently speaking to anyone about how to control your emotions a bit more, or techniques that might be able to help you in these moments? It might be worth reaching out professionally to someone as they can help you with different strategies to implement when you might be feeling like you will react a certain way. 

 

In saying this, there is absolutely nothing wrong with reacting the way that you do, or for showing emotion to things that hurt you or make you feel sad. I realised recently that I am a very highly sensitive person, and it took me a while to be completely okay with that. I used to want to mask all of my emotions and try and pretend like nothing ever got to me, but in reality I would be going home and hanging on everything that happened and letting all my emotions out at the 'wrong time'. But now that I have done some research and come to terms with how and why I feel things so deeply, I am now a lot more aware of it and can anticipate how I will feel in certain situations. 

 

Sending virtual hugs,

Amber22

Re: Being overly sensitive

Sensitivity is a beautiful thing. You can use your emotions as a tool to discover who you are as a person as well as showing others understanding and compassion. As you grow older you will become emotionally stronger able to withstand whatever comes your way. But use your emotions as a guide for integrative depth analysis to get to understand the real you, the layers of your identity that can take you way beyond anything you had imagined before.  Doing this soul work will also make you stronger and enable you to identify your strength and weaknesses.  You will come to understand that there is no end to what makes you as a person. There is plenty to learn from self understanding and awareness @ProbNotSane ❤️

Re: Being overly sensitive

I have struggled with this, you need to be kind to yourself. You are a human being doing the best you can, reacting in a very human way. You don’t need to be less sensitive, you are just fine the way you are right now. 

If you are also feeling down and it is making it worse you can talk to your GP or reach out to one of the phone services listed on Sane. 

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