“Am I Too Sensitive?”
You question: “Maybe I am too sensitive…”
If you’ve ever thought that especially after talking to your parents or dealing with family, you’re not alone. I hear this all the time from people who grew up in emotionally messy or dysfunctional homes. They are criticized and labeled as “too much”, “the difficult one”, “the big crier”, “the angry sibling” or “the sensitive child”.
Why can’t I just let things go?
Why do I get so upset over little comments?
Why do I shut down or cry when my siblings make fun of me?
And then there’s the kicker:
“My family says I’m too sensitive, that I get upset easily with everything. I probably just need to toughen up.”
But what if you’re not too sensitive?
What if you were just overwhelmed—and no one ever helped you with it?
“Too Sensitive” Was a Code for: You Had Feelings I Didn’t Want to Deal With.
A lot of people who grew up in emotionally neglectful or chaotic families learned really early that their feelings weren’t welcome. If you cried, you were dramatic. If you were scared, you were overreacting. If you needed comfort, you were needy. If you were angry, you were a bad kid.
So instead of anyone helping you process your feelings, you were told to stop being so sensitive.
But let’s be real: you were just a kid with normal, human emotions and no one helped you carry them.
Your family was probably scared to handle their own feelings, so they denied and projected onto you everything they hate about themselves. They don’t know how to deal with their own emotions, so they did not know what to do with yours. They judged you for having feelings such as sadness or anger.
You Were on Your Own With Too Much
Think about it:
If a small child is constantly walking on eggshells, bracing for a parent’s mood, trying not to “set anyone off,” and swallowing their own needs, is that child sensitive?
Or is that child overwhelmed and alone?
When no one teaches you how to handle big feelings—yours or other people’s—you start to believe your emotions are the problem. You start to believe you are the problem.
Sensitivity Isn’t the Enemy
Your sensitivity might actually be a strength. It means you pick up on things. You care deeply. You notice what others miss. Being vulnerable is brave.
But in a family that didn’t make space for emotions, that sensitivity probably felt like a burden. Maybe it still does.
Here’s the thing:
You don’t have to keep apologizing for who you are.
You’re not “too much.”
You just needed more support than you got.
And now that you’re an adult, you can start giving that support to yourself.
If You’re Still Wondering if You are too Sensitive:
Next time your mind says, “Ugh, why am I being so sensitive?” try this instead:
“This is not my voice, this comes from the past. I was overwhelmed back then. But now I get to slow down and listen to myself.”
Ask yourself: “What do I need right now to soothe myself"?”
Conclusion
Healing starts when you stop trying to “fix” your sensitivity and start listening to it.
If this resonates with you—if you're tired of questioning your emotions and wondering what's wrong with you—I want you to know: you don’t have to keep doing this alone.
I offer a free 30-minute consult where we can talk about what you need, and how therapy might support you in finally feeling safe in your own skin.
it is a chance to be heard, maybe for the first time in a long time.
Click here to schedule your free consult. You're allowed to ask for support.
