It is human to have emotions. Then, why is emotional sensitivity a big deal?
Being happy, sad, irritated, or even angry is natural when it stays within limits. When your display of emotions goes over the limit, it is harmful and unhealthy to yourself as well as to the people close to you.
Emotional sensitivity is the state of feeling hurt easily or your inability to control your emotions. There are numerous reasons for this. However, you can always take steps to overcome this mental affliction. Being less sensitive in a relationship has its advantages.
This article explains the reasons for emotional sensitivity and ways to conquer it.
“Why am I so sensitive?”
If you are prone to constant emotional responses, outbursts, and uncensored displays of emotions, you must be asking yourself this question. Often it leaves you embarrassed and mortified.
Even when you are aware of your weakness and want to do something about it, you may feel helpless. Before you think about bringing your emotions under control, you need to know why you are being overly sensitive.
Here are a few common causes for emotional sensitivity.
- You are just being human. Emotions form a huge part of the mental makeup of a human being. However, not everyone has the same emotional level. You just happen to be one more sensitive to emotions.
- It’s in your genes. Studies have discovered the genetic connection for emotions. Even though social and environmental influences play a role, emotions are mostly inherited among humans.
- You are sleep-deprived. When you are not well-rested, you may find it hard to keep your emotions in check.
- You are physically inactive. Lack of exercise is a major contributing factor. On the other hand, exercising is always linked to mental well-being.
- You are not eating right. The food you eat not just affects your physical health, it has a major impact on your mental health as well.
- You are stressed. High levels of anxiety and stress can lower the tolerance level of your mind. Your emotions are amplified as a result.
- You are among the people who are more sensitive than others. You feel all kinds of emotions intensely.
- You are on the verge of big life changes. This may involve evaluating situations, making decisions, and coping with new circumstances. This can be overwhelming and may bring on your emotions.
- You are dealing with grief. When you lose a loved one, you may go through a gamut of emotions. This is all normal. Once you come to terms with the loss, your emotional response will stabilize.
- You suffered a trauma. This can churn up a lot of things within you, including emotions. You will feel multiple emotions at the same time, making you feel overwhelmed by the situation.
“How can I stop being hypersensitive?”
The consequences of emotional sensitivity are many – hurt feelings, fear of failure, relationship problems, missed opportunities, over-the-top reactions, the list goes on.
Here are some questions you can ask and find answers to figure out how to stop being so emotionally sensitive.
“What are the emotions I am feeling?”
If you want to control something, you must know what caused it in the first place. To understand the underlying cause of your emotional sensitivity, you need to look into your mind and identify the emotions you are feeling.
Are you feeling emotional like happy, sad, angry, frustrated, or disappointed? Once you label the emotions you are having, try to dig deeper and find out why you are experiencing them. There must be some trigger.
Once you identify the trigger, you can do something about it.
“Why am I feeling these emotions?”
Often the reasons behind your emotional sensitivity are well-hidden in the depths of your mind. You may even consciously try to bury it deep to hide it from yourself because you don’t want to face the truth.
This may require some hard work on your part to get to the truth. This is a vital clue that can help solve the riddle of your being sensitive.
“What would I do to help a friend who is sensitive?”
Often we are kinder and more compassionate to others than to ourselves. Just consider this scenario – your friend wanted your help with this problem. What would you suggest?
When you try to figure out a solution to your own problems, you are harsher and more unforgiving. This may not get you the right answer to the question. However, when you are trying to find answers to your friend’s problem, you are calmer, kinder, and unbiased. This will get you the right answer.
“Do I need to do anything about it?”
Some instances of emotional sensitivity are short-lived such as in the case of bereavement. You can give yourself some time to come to terms with the situation and your emotions will stabilize. However, this may not always be the case.
You need to identify whether letting it go is the best approach. For example, when a person in your close circle is being rude and hurting your feelings, you should take it up with the person and clear the air.
“Can I make myself feel better?”
Highly emotional people are often too hard and unforgiving to themselves. When you pile up the pressure on yourself, it is no wonder that it comes out as an emotional outburst. As long as you focus on your negative emotions, you will continue to feel bad and this can only make matters worse.
By dispelling negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones, you will be in a better mental state. This can make you more resilient and emotionally more stable.
“How can I make myself feel better?”
Changing your outlook and behavior have a huge impact on the way you feel. So, start working on the way you see and process things. And try to bring about changes in your attitude and behavior. This is no child’s play. Neither can this be achieved overnight.
What works for one may not work for another. So, you need to figure out how to make this happen. Shifting your focus is a good strategy that works for all.
Once you start feeling better, your emotional upheavals will calm down and you will find it easier to get a grip on your emotional sensitivity.
How to shift your focus?
As discussed earlier, diverting your attention to more positive things is helpful. Here are some suggestions for you to achieve this feat.
- Practice mindfulness
- Train your brain to focus on positive things
- Distract your attention
- Teach yourself to look at the bigger picture
- Learn to accept and not judge
- Make daily journaling a habit
- Invest in self-care
Bottom line
How to be less emotionally sensitive? Emotional sensitivity can rob you of the kind of life you want to live. When you accept that you are a highly sensitive person, it is half the battle won.
If you find your self-care tactics to rein in emotional sensitivity not bearing desired results, you should consult a mental health professional. With well-planned therapy sessions, you will be able to overcome your nemesis in no time.
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