I recently came across the term “overly sensitive” and I have a couple of questions about it. First, is this new? Second, if not, where has it been? Third, isn’t everyone this way?

Am I showing my naivety again? No, really, am I? I feel like my slip is showing when my naivety is all hanging out.

Okay I heard about overly sensitive from the Beyond Blue blog and some other articles. I have never heard of it before, but I have to say I find it interesting. Yes, it may apply to me. I mean I only want to stop all the bloodshed all over the world, find renewable energy that is way cheap, adopt every child and animal that needs a home and teach the world to sing (since I can only carry a tune on my iPod that last one is a stretch).

If you have never heard of this let me give you some of the characteristics I found on Highly Sensitive People.com:

·       Heightened awareness of the environment, i.e. sight, sound, touch, taste or smell.

·       Become stressed and upset when overwhelmed and may need to get away for relief.

·       You are creative

·       Conscientious, hard-working and meticulous, but become less so and feel uncomfortable when watched or scrutinized.

·       File and organize things and thoughts, enjoy simplicity and become overwhelmed by chaos, clutter or stress.

·       Very uncomfortable when you feel out of control

·       Take comfort from lakes, rivers, streams, the ocean or fountains.

·       Experience mood swings that can occur almost instantly and other moods, emotions and problems affect you.

·       You have a rich inner life, maybe very spiritual and may have vivid dreams

·       You can usually tell when people are not being honest or if something is wrong.

·       You worry about many things and have been told that you take things to personally.

·       You have cut people out of your life.

·       You were considered quiet, introverted, timid or shy as a child.

·       Startle easily

·       Cautious in new situations

·       Trouble sleep

Okay I have a few of the above. Like maybe 15 out of the 16. If I was counting, but I’m not so all is good. Seriously, this explain some stuff and now I can read up to see what I can do to mellow out. The funny thing is that when I was in the darkest part of my depression this wasn’t that much of an issue because I was just dead. Now that I am much better I am finding that these are becoming an issue for me. There is nothing like jumping at work every time someone comes in to your cube, the mood swings, taking things personally and of course getting stressed by too much sound (Mom talking to an Aunt and the TV on), the mall on a Saturday or, God forbid, Costco on a Saturday.

Anyone else have experience with this? Or am I the only one who has never heard of it?