Am I Emotionally Hypersensitive?

Take this quiz to find out.

Emotional hypersensitivity is a personality trait that plenty of people can identify with. Being hypersensitive can mean being overwhelmed by things in your environment or feeling emotions and empathy really intensely. If you’ve ever been told, “Wow, you’re really sensitive,” then you might actually be hypersensitive!

Not that being emotionally hypersensitive is bad—it’s just a personality trait that some people have. So, answer a few questions, and we’ll tell you if emotional hypersensitivity is something you might have, too.

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Questions Overview

1. How much do other people’s moods affect you?
  1. Strongly. Their mood affects mine in turn.
  2. Somewhat. My mood doesn’t change, but I feel for them.
  3. A little bit, but I don’t let that affect my actions.
  4. Not at all. Their mood is theirs—mine is totally separate.
2. How much do you reflect on your life and the things that happen to you?
  1. I do it a lot.
  2. I do it sometimes.
  3. I do it occasionally.
  4. I don’t do that.
3. Have you ever instinctively known how someone else is feeling, without asking?
  1. Yes, all the time!
  2. Yes, sometimes.
  3. Occasionally, I'll get a hunch.
  4. Not really. I need people to tell me how they feel.
4. What’s your typical reaction to intense sensory input (bright lights, smells, loud noises, etc.)?
  1. Honestly, I get completely overwhelmed.
  2. I get a little anxious and uncomfortable.
  3. It’s a lot, but I can adjust to it.
  4. I don’t really have a reaction. It’s all good!
5. How do you tend to react when your day gets really busy and high-energy?
  1. I need time alone, so I withdraw somewhere quiet.
  2. I need a little “me-time,” so I take breaks from time to time.
  3. I need to vent about it to my friends.
  4. I’m fine—I thrive when things get intense.
6. How do you typically respond to criticism?
  1. Intensely. I take criticism really hard.
  2. I try to put on a brave face, but it hurts deep down.
  3. I sometimes struggle with it, but I can deal with it as long as it’s constructive.
  4. I’m not bothered. It gives me something to work on!
7. When a conflict breaks out, where are you?
  1. Avoiding it at all costs.
  2. Avoiding it unless it directly involves me.
  3. Trying to get past it as quickly as possible.
  4. In the thick of it, trying to sort things out.
8. Do you frequently overthink things, or do you rarely second-guess yourself?
  1. I overthink all the time.
  2. I catch myself overthinking sometimes.
  3. I’m not really an overthinker.
9. What does “solitude” mean to you?
  1. Peace, calm, and a chance to recharge myself.
  2. Comfort, for a while (until I get bored).
  3. Time to do what I want and not worry about others.
  4. Honestly, loneliness. I don’t like a lot of solitude.
10. How often do you pick up on small changes in your environment (like things getting moved around)?
  1. All the time
  2. Most of the time
  3. Sometimes
  4. Rarely
11. How do you feel about working with groups of people?
  1. It makes me uncomfortable. I prefer solo!
  2. Okay. I prefer 1:1, but I can deal with big groups.
  3. Great. I love group collaborations!
12. Finally, how easily do you get scared?
  1. Very easily. It doesn’t take much to scare me!
  2. I scare easily when it comes to specific things I don’t like.
  3. I think I get scared about as much as the average person.
  4. Not easily at all. In fact, it’s really hard to scare me.

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More About Emotional Hypersensitivity

What is emotional hypersensitivity?

Emotional hypersensitivity is a personality trait describing the way your brain and nervous system react to emotional stimuli. It’s typically defined by a more intense perception of both your emotions and sensory stimuli through which you perceive the world around you. If you’re hypersensitive, you tend to experience emotions and sensory stimuli more profoundly and intensely than most (and everyone is sensitive to some degree; some people are just more sensitive than others).

If you’re hypersensitive, you may tend to get upset easily, feel or be affected by other people’s emotions and moods more strongly, and take things very personally. For instance, you might take a lot of little things to heart that other people might not think twice about, or take longer to recover when feeling emotional pain. It may also be much harder to take criticism, even when it’s intended to be constructive, as people with emotional hypersensitivity tend to feel other people’s words very profoundly.

Little things may even influence your emotions and moods easily, like watching a movie or reading a book. You’re also more likely to pick up small changes in your environment, as well as other people’s moods.

Having such a deep reaction to emotional and sensory stimuli can be overwhelming at times—so how can you manage emotional hypersensitivity when it grows intense? We're here to help with advice from wikiHow's mental health experts:


Marriage & Family Therapist Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC, says that it’s important to find out what triggers your hypersensitivity. “Know yourself and be aware of your emotional triggers and wounds,” says Ratson. “You can only be triggered emotionally if you are carrying old emotional wounds. So, build your resiliency by doing the deep psychological work necessary for healing your pain and creating a stronger self.”[1]

Not every emotionally hypersensitive person will react to the same stimuli, so analyze your reactions. What triggers your sensitivity? Once you know the answer to that question, you can be prepared for situations that are likely to affect you more deeply and make adjustments for your comfort.

Licensed Therapist Julia Lyubchenko, MS, MA says that setting boundaries for yourself is healthy. “Be very clear in your communication, and establish those boundaries,” Lyubchenko adds. “And when I say clear, the way I normally refer to it is to be nice, but firm. There's no need to be aggressive or impolite about it; it's more about explaining clearly and making sure that you can keep these boundaries.”[2]

Don’t force something if you know it’ll be really upsetting and overstimulating for you. Everyone has their own limits, and there’s nothing wrong with sticking to yours. Alternatively, if you really can’t get out of something that you know will trigger your hypersensitivity, you can at least give yourself time to recuperate after.

Licensed Psychologist Liana Georgoulis, PsyD, recommends that you “practice self-compassion and give yourself credit for what you are doing and what you have achieved. Recognize when you are engaging in critical thoughts and practice replacing them with positive and compassionate thoughts.”[3]

Licensed Psychologist Catherine Boswell, PhD, says that “You may need to create some emotional distance when interacting with others. Notice how you are perceiving the encounter, and then notice your interpretation or the story you are telling yourself about it. Then, think about how that may tie into a pre-existing belief you have about yourself, which could be that people always hurt your feelings, for example. Finally, make a decision to examine, challenge, or, if appropriate, change that belief.”[4]

It isn’t always easy to separate yourself (and reality) from your emotions, but it’s well worth the effort. In time, you may find yourself feeling less sensitive in certain situations!

Dr. Boswell also advises us to “remember the benefits of being a sensitive person, as well as the inevitable difficulties. Your practice in becoming more resilient may involve better knowing who you are and staying grounded in that knowledge.”[5]

Yes, there are negatives to emotional hypersensitivity—but there are also strengths. You likely have a deeper understanding of your own emotions as well as other people’s, and high levels of empathy. Those are traits to be proud of!

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References

  1. ↑ Moshe Ratson, MFT, PCC. Marriage & Family Therapist. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Julia Lyubchenko, MS, MA. Licensed Therapist. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Liana Georgoulis, PsyD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ Catherine Boswell, PhD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ Catherine Boswell, PhD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview