Feeling too Intensely or Being ‘Too Much’

Keesha

🐟
Location
Canada 🇨🇦
Some people feel too much. They are often told they are :

too much,
too sensitive,
too emotional,
too intense,
or too dramatic.


**************************


You experience emotions to an unusual level of depth , intensity and complexity that makes you feel both very alive but also very painful.


You have a constant stream of both positive and negative emotions; sometimes at the same time.


You plunge high into bliss and low into gloom in a rapid recession.


You know the meaning of despair but you also know beauty and rapture. When music or art moves you, you are flooded with waves of joy & ecstasy.


You are intensely passionate with deep empathy and sensitivity


You tend to form strong emotional connections
with people , places and things


You experience life with tenderness and nostalgia


You have deep concerns about others well being . When others are being abused you act like it’s happening to you


You intuitively respond to other peoples energy which can make you feel overwhelmed


Being so open and sensitive makes you vulnerable to social injuries which you create by getting too close to others


Your heightened sensory system makes you extremely sensitive to your surroundings which causes you to become overwhelmed from too much sensory input.


Highly acute perceptivity means you see beyond superficialities


You are bothered by hypocrisies, unfairness and struggle with people and situations


You are always the one to point at the elephant in the room when everyone else is trying to avoid it which makes everyone uncomfortable


In family situations you are easily scapegoated since you are the squeaky wheel or the problematic one


You have an innate urge to push boundaries of conformity , to question or challenge traditions, get frustrated easily with unfairness , corruptions and inequality even if it isn’t your cross to bear


You have a rich inner world that you escape to that’s all your own which you may have created as a child to escape pain


You have a strong need to seek and understand which causes you to analyze . This often gets you into trouble and you then appear to be critical and impatient to those who don’t understand you


You mix intellectual concepts with deep feelings which causes much frustration so often feel like you can’t keep up with others


You experience zealous enthusiasm about certain topics and your mind runs faster than your words can keep up


When you are absorbed in your personal passions , the outside world ceases to exist


You are highly capable of contemplative thinking and self reflection however you might be overly occupied with obsessive thoughts and self examination to the point of perfectionism and self criticism


You are extremely open minded


From a young life you may have felt deep depression at the meaninglessness of life, death and loneliness


You get frustrated with those around you who don’t share your perspective which creates panic within you and manifests into a sense of urgency


You feel a sense of responsibility for things that don’t concern you which cause you to learn and expand in areas you are unfamiliar with . This can emotionally paralyze you temporarily


You have so many hobbies you can’t keep up with them


Emotional intensity isn’t a pathology itself but people who feel intensely often feel like there is something wrong with them. Note: not to say that other pathologies don’t exist - depression, anxiety, paranoia can be present at times
Internalizing this leads to a sense of isolation and depression.


People who feel too intensely are very creative individuals who need to keep their minds distracted to prevent self sabotaging themselves


To those of us who are abnormally sensitive : sometimes ;


A torch is a blow
A sound is a noise
A misfortune is a tragedy
A joy is an ecstasy
A lover is a god &
A failure is death
 

That describes me so accurately, but living life with that much intensity becomes exhausting. And if a person lives intensely "in the moment" all the time, they frequently need to take timeouts in life just to regroup. I've heard it said that people like this live their lives in a constant state of crisis. This is true. Advice from a fellow sufferer, try to be more objective and less subjective about everything. It's not easy, but it can help.
 

I can get rather "intense" about the weather here, especially when my wife is at work and a severe t-storm is approaching the area and a tornado watch is underway.

We can both become pretty "intense" when a hurricane or tropical storm is headed our way. We are in a No Evacuation area, so, luckily, we don't have to leave, but hearing the wind blowing like heck outside can definitely get us scared.

Some folks here think we are "too much", but then again, many of the folks here aren't our age...….much, much younger.

I can also become "too much", to many here, when describing what I don't like about living here.
 
That describes me so accurately, but living life with that much intensity becomes exhausting. And if a person lives intensely "in the moment" all the time, they frequently need to take timeouts in life just to regroup. I've heard it said that people like this live their lives in a constant state of crisis. This is true. Advice from a fellow sufferer, try to be more objective and less subjective about everything. It's not easy, but it can help.

Thank you for your advice and I will gratefully accept it. :love_heart:
 
I can get rather "intense" about the weather here, especially when my wife is at work and a severe t-storm is approaching the area and a tornado watch is underway.

We can both become pretty "intense" when a hurricane or tropical storm is headed our way. We are in a No Evacuation area, so, luckily, we don't have to leave, but hearing the wind blowing like heck outside can definitely get us scared.

Some folks here think we are "too much", but then again, many of the folks here aren't our age...….much, much younger.

I can also become "too much", to many here, when describing what I don't like about living here.

You’re OK
Im OK
Its all OK
 
I'm also an intensely sensitive person, but I don't envy those who seem to have no emotions. My husband is able to watch anything at all on tv, he seems unaffected by the sight of others suffering; whereas I get very upset and can be still dwelling on something long after the programme has finished.
 
Keesha are you "intense" too?
Yes chic I’m incredibly intense and figured it was obvious to all. I feel far too much but , at times, I forget that I’m like this.
It dawned on me the other day when I was answering a thread. It was a very emotional experience that seemed to throw me right off course . It was at that moment that I remembered this overly empathic part of me and knew I needed some type of stradegy in order to cope and communicate better.

It reminded me why I chose the lifestyle I have.
The other day when I researched this, I read that approximately 15% of the worlds population have this type of sensitivity but then I wondered, how would they know? It’s not the type of thing you would add to a survey or anything. In fact, I think this would be the type of sensitivity that could be disguised as a mental disorder but I happen to have them also so at times they seem to blend together but they aren’t the sane thing. One just greatly influences the other. They seem to overlap each other.

In reading some of your comments here at the site, not that you share nearly as much as I do, I wondered if you were also.

When did did you discover this about yourself?
 
I'm also an intensely sensitive person, but I don't envy those who seem to have no emotions. My husband is able to watch anything at all on tv, he seems unaffected by the sight of others suffering; whereas I get very upset and can be still dwelling on something long after the programme has finished.
Hi Rosemarie. That’s such a pretty name.

I did envy those emotionally frozen people at times and am glad our world has them. Who else would clean up all the carnage off the roads? Our world needs those types of people. Can you imagine cleaning up after the world trade 911 disaster being this sensitive? These types of jobs could never be done without those types amongst us.

My husband is similar to yours which at times drives me crazy. He can watch anything on television and not be the least bit affected by it but luckily he often knows me better than I know myself at times which is incredibly helpful to me. Many a time he’ll advise me not to watch a certain program or read certain material because he knows how it will effect me and he’s right all the time in these regards. Sometimes I wonder how very different we are but he helps ground me. He’s like my polar opposite and helps keep me stable.

Like you, I can dwell on sensitive stuff long after seeing it. Watching anything suffering breaks me down which is why I don’t watch the news. What I do need to stop doing is visiting threads which I know will upset me. At times I get triggered by certain topics yet can’t let them go and I do nobody any favours in this regard. My overreaction can be upsetting to others which I must remember.

When did you discover this about yourself?

The thing I do happen to like about this sensitivity is the creativity it has offered me. I’m far more creative than the average person and use it as a healthy outlet. Today I will pick up my woodcarving. It’s soul soothing but so is painting, singing , playing an instrument or any of the other outlets that help me express my overly emotional side.

What methods do any of you use to help ground yourself?
 
I've been told by a few men on forums that I'm too sensitive, but I just figure it's them not being sensitive enough:rolleyes: I realize you're speaking of an intensity on a higher level though. But I wonder how much of it is a gender thing? Women, by nature, are the mothers and caregivers. Caregivers=Empathy and Sensitivity. And females have be suppressed by males for so long, so maybe that also has an impact. I think gender is a biggee. Yes ladies, let's blame it on the men:playful:


 
The only thing emotionally intense feeling people should avoid I think, is feeling guilty or apologizing for how they feel. You're all as wonderful as the next person!
Yes indeed. We need to stop apologizing for being the people we are.
I’ll often write something, only to later think over all the different ways my post could be taken and whether it offends anyone.
It’s considerate but unrealistic.
Thank you for the reminder RaddishRose.
A big hug for you
C81E9FB0-17F8-4760-86FA-3011E63B7A93.jpg
 
I've been told by a few men on forums that I'm too sensitive, but I just figure it's them not being sensitive enough:rolleyes: I realize you're speaking of an intensity on a higher level though. But I wonder how much of it is a gender thing? Women, by nature, are the mothers and caregivers. Caregivers=Empathy and Sensitivity. And females have be suppressed by males for so long, so maybe that also has an impact. I think gender is a biggee. Yes ladies, let's blame it on the men:playful:



Hahaha! Let’s blame the men!!!!
One if my favourite things to do.
So lets.:lofl:
There’s nothing wrong with us; they are just too insensitive :yes:
Love it!!! Lol
 
Sugar & spice and everything nice
That’s what we are made from

Snakes & snails and puppy dog tails
Thats what ‘they’ are made from

But I like puppy dog tails :laugh:
 
Without the intense and sensitive people who comprise 20%of the population, who would compose or sing so much beautiful music, write evocative books and poetry? What would replace the dazzling art of some of the greatest artists? What about the seers,

the empaths, the immensely compassionate, or many of the top notch actors or comedians? I am intense, although I contain it well when necessary. It brings something
positive to my vocation because I am blessed with the gift of intimacy. My vets and refugees etc, can feel my warmth, my

love for
them, and my sorrow that they suffer so. I can send positive emotions toward them which lessen their feelings of isolation, and usually have a calming effect. In my personal relationships, I strive for balance. Because I am not a clingy person, I avoid

regularly overwhelming those close to me, although at times I can be overly intense. Then it is time to withdraw for a bit, embrace meditation, therapy if necessary, and adjust my emotional clock. Yes, living with your heart open inevitably brings heartbreak, but also immense joy. Besides, traumatized people need to “feel to heal” as all the therapists point out. One thing I

do know, is that for many extremely sensitive people, their capacity to connect with others on a deep level, is a defining touchstone in their lives. For some of us, this is the greatest gift possible, and sustains our humanity whatever the cost. I am

willing to bet, my intense friends, you have touched more lives than you know, in a positive and uplifting way. Sometimes it only needs a passing encounter to alter the trajectory of a despairing person’s life. One such encounter provided the template for my life or service and saved me. Do burn bright, my friends, share your gift with the world in whatever way seems right.
 
Wimin

Sheeesh


Yer all definitely wonderfully different animals




Feed me

Let me play with my toys

I’m good

HNe6dLC.jpg




...and will continue to pretend to listen



yha2mmy.jpg





(I can't believe I read every word of this thread)
 
Gary, you are delightful. Here is a little secret, some men are intense also. My son is one of them. Highly emotional, and comfortable with it. He uses the word tumultuous. It works! Lol.

I know

I've got buds like that

'tumultuous'

I gotta share that with 'em

They'll be impressed
 
Gary, you are delightful. Here is a little secret, some men are intense also. My son is one of them. Highly emotional, and comfortable with it. He uses the word tumultuous. It works! Lol.
Gary is totally delightful. I’ve told Gary before that I think the world of him. He is physically strong yet has the vulnerability to put his heart out to the world and share his authentic unique self.
I second that emotional men rock. I love seeing men who are emotional. It’s admirable.

Awesome. Perhaps share with them how many women treasure emotional men. I certainly do. I melt. Shh! Don’t tell anyone! Lmao.
Ditto! :grin:
We've discussed melting wimin

Then moved on to wilting wimin

Then angry ones

Then popped the cap on another brew
I can be all those in one day :laugh:

Hahaha. You know what we Celtic women are like, we can laugh and cry at the same time.

Seems native American wimin are like that too
...only they have tomahawks

shops become quite handy at times
THIS is what I miss. Melts my heart. :heart:
 
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Hi Rosemarie. That’s such a pretty name.

I did envy those emotionally frozen people at times and am glad our world has them. Who else would clean up all the carnage off the roads? Our world needs those types of people. Can you imagine cleaning up after the world trade 911 disaster being this sensitive? These types of jobs could never be done without those types amongst us.

My husband is similar to yours which at times drives me crazy. He can watch anything on television and not be the least bit affected by it but luckily he often knows me better than I know myself at times which is incredibly helpful to me. Many a time he’ll advise me not to watch a certain program or read certain material because he knows how it will effect me and he’s right all the time in these regards. Sometimes I wonder how very different we are but he helps ground me. He’s like my polar opposite and helps keep me stable.

Like you, I can dwell on sensitive stuff long after seeing it. Watching anything suffering breaks me down which is why I don’t watch the news. What I do need to stop doing is visiting threads which I know will upset me. At times I get triggered by certain topics yet can’t let them go and I do nobody any favours in this regard. My overreaction can be upsetting to others which I must remember.

When did you discover this about yourself?

The thing I do happen to like about this sensitivity is the creativity it has offered me. I’m far more creative than the average person and use it as a healthy outlet. Today I will pick up my woodcarving. It’s soul soothing but so is painting, singing , playing an instrument or any of the other outlets that help me express my overly emotional side.

What methods do any of you use to help ground yourself?

I was in a bookshop and saw a book entitled 'The Highly Sensitive Person'. It was such a relief when I read it and realised why I feel the way I do, and that I wasn't alone in this. It's difficult to deal with. I keep reminding myself that time will pass, and whatever is bothering me will be history in a short while.
 


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