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Being sensitive means you sometimes overinterpret or overreact to perceived criticism or judgment.
Sensitivity is not necessarily a bad thing.
Having this quality means that you are observant, conscientious, and thoughtful.
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However, it can sometimes lead to overwhelming emotions when faced with social conflict, criticism, or rejection.
If you tend to be a highly sensitive person, you are more likely to sense social threats.
But with this high sensitivity comes increased reactivity, which might cause you to misread signals from others.
You might look for ways to avoid feeling hurt if you are overly sensitive.
Research suggests that around 20% of people tend to be highly sensitive.
Managing your sensitivity effectively can help you remainempatheticand attentive without taking things too personally.
This article discusses how to be less sensitive and explores how being too sensitive might negatively affect your life.
Find out which option is the best for you.
Avoiding social situations can leave you lonely and lacking in support.
Turning down opportunities for advancement can hurt you professionally and damage your confidence.
Having this ability allows you to manage feelings of distress and disruptive emotions.
Strengthening this ability can help you feel less sensitive and put feelings in perspective before acting on them.
One strategy for regulating emotions effectively is to utilizecognitive reframingto change how you think and feel about different situations.
This process involves intentionally reinterpreting a situation to control your emotional reaction to it.
or “Nobody appreciates my efforts!”
You might use cognitive reappraisal to see the situation from a different perspective.
Evidence has found that mindfulness can have a beneficial effect on conditions that are characterized by emotional dysregulation.
Research has also found that briefmindfulness meditationinterventions have a positive effect on emotion processing.
If you want to become less sensitive, mindfulness can boostself-awarenessand improve your ability to regulate your emotions.
This process takes time and effort, so consider setting aside some time each day to practice.
By writing down your feelings, you might better make sense of what you are experiencing.
Don’t Take Things Personally
Personalization is acognitive biasthat can often contribute to heightened sensitivity.
This bias causes people to take everything personally, blaming themselves for things that are not their fault.
One way to combat this tendency is to actively challenge negative thoughts.
They are good at sensing the emotions of others so they can be deeply empathetic.
However, this emotional intelligence can sometimes cause them to feel overwhelmed by the feelings of others.
Being too sensitive, however, can hinder your ability to function normally in your daily life.
Some research indicates that sensitivity serves an evolutionary purpose.Genetics also plays a part.
Research has shown that sensitivity tends to run in families.
Sensitivity means your feelings are easily hurt, often unintentionally.
Building your confidence and practicing mindfulness can help you feel emotionally stronger if you are a sensitive person.
Mindfulness can build self-awareness and help you recognize the thoughts contributing to excessive sensitivity.
Why am I so sensitive and cry so easily?
Emotionally empathetic people may cry more easily in response to emotional situations or stress.
High stress levels and past traumas can also play a role.
Is emotional sensitivity a disorder?
Anxiety disorders also often lead to increased emotional sensitivity.
A Word From Verywell
Being a sensitive person can have both benefits and drawbacks.
If you feel you are being too sensitive, there are ways to improve your emotional regulation abilities.
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