Being sensitive is essential to our survival. It's a radar for things that can harm us. We are all somewhat sensitive, it's part of human nature. However, some of us are highly sensitive.
Are you wondering if you are? Here's a 6-pt checklist.
1: Sharp Senses
You're jumpy at loud noises, bright light makes you sleepy, touch can be uncomfortable and make you dizzy, watching violent images or videos is unbearable.
Likewise, you're transported by music, some colours give you comfort, a soft (stuffed) animal soothes you and beautiful scenery bring tears of joy to your eyes.
You notice details. Evidently, your threshold for pain is lower than the average person.
2: Emotionally Tired
At the end of the day (or any time really), you're exhausted from feeling so many feelings. You sometimes need to withdraw, lay down, move away from the conversation/company (you tend to fall out of conversations).
At break point, you're emotionally and intellectually tired. You're overthinking. You're either replaying events and taking notice of the many things that were said and emotions felt, feeling overwhelmed, and releasing by breaking into tears. Or you've immersed yourself into a series, TikTok or video games to distract your mind.
3: Too Much Pressure
It may be because you put enough pressure on yourself as it is, or that you can't stand falling short and disappointing yourself or others, too much pressure paralyses you. So you tend to procrastinate or quit.
You could actually do well with a little bit of accountability, but when the pressure becomes too big, something keeps you from going forward. Perhaps not being (good) enough brings about too many thoughts and emotions?
4: Big Imagination
You're day dreaming, projecting. Your imagination brings you to unexpected places, all the time. You have vivid dreams and nightmares that create a real reaction in your body (fear, tears, arousal, etc.)
Your imagination helps your creative endeavours, provided you're not under too much pressure 😉!
5: Change Aversion
You don't like too many changes too fast. Getting comfortable in a routine makes your high sensitivity manageable, so having to re-adapt and find your marks quickly requires a whole lot of effort and energy. It's not that you can't or don't want to do it, it can be very exciting, it's just really tiring and you need time.
So, almost like a reflex, you tend to be change averse.
6: Isolation
Unfortunately, it often happens that as a highly sensitive individual, you isolate from overwhelming situations (which is almost all situations). You also feel like you understand things differently and perceive vibes or energies that others don't. So, your reactions can feel a little bit out of context and make you feel uncomfortable (but trust me, there's a good chance others don't notice).
You definitely prioritise one-to-one sessions with close friends or family members. In fact, those exchanges feed your need for deep, meaningful connection.
Provided you're not spending too much time with other highly sensitive individuals as that could lead to very complicated relationships.
Are you interested in the perks and downsides to a relationship between two highly sensitive people? Let me know in the comments or via private message!
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