What If Being “Too Sensitive” Is a Medical Trait?

Have you ever felt like you’re “too sensitive” for the world around you?

Some people notice sounds, lights, and feelings more deeply than others, and it can feel overwhelming. This is how their brain works.

Val Nelson used to be the quiet girl—shy, sensitive, and often overwhelmed by the world around her. As a kid, she barely spoke in school. Growing up in a loud, extroverted family made her feel even more out of place. In 11th grade, she was so scared of giving an oral report that she asked her teacher for an F instead. The fear of being seen or heard was strong—but deep down, she also wanted to be noticed. She had ideas and questions, but she didn’t know how to share them.

During college, speaking up was still hard, but once she found topics that excited her, the fear faded a little. She even took on leadership roles. Passion gave her the courage to show up, even if she was still one of the quietest in the room.

Val became a health educator after college. It pushed her out of her comfort zone, but with training and a set plan, she started feeling more confident. Still, the job left her drained, so she quit without a backup plan and quickly ran out of savings. That’s when she saw a career coach—and everything clicked. She wasn’t broken or weak. She was simply an introvert and a highly sensitive person (HSP) who needed a better fit.

Val tried several jobs, her confidence grew, but she still felt something was missing. Coaching changed that. She loved helping people find work that felt meaningful and true to who they were.

Instead of pretending to be outgoing, she chose a different path. She showed up as herself, without a flashy pitch or a pile of business cards. She had real conversations—and people responded. Her business grew because it was honest, not loud. She didn’t push, she connected.

Today, Val is a self-employed coach who helps introverts and HSPs find their calling. She still loves quiet time. She still needs space to recharge. But she’s confident now, and her work fits who she is.

The Emotional-Sensory Overlap

What if being more sensitive is part of how your brain and body work? That’s what scientists and psychologists have been trying to understand. The term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) became more well-known after psychologist Elaine Aron began researching it in the 1990s. She found that about 15–20% of people may be born with a more sensitive nervous system. That means they feel things more deeply, notice small details in their surroundings, and can get overwhelmed more easily.

If loud noises, bright lights, or strong smells make you uncomfortable—or if you often cry at sad movies, feel the emotions of others, or get anxious in busy places—you might relate. Being highly sensitive also means you might need quiet time alone to recover from busy days. These are real traits that affect how you experience the world.

But is high sensitivity something you’re born with? The answer is… maybe. Aron's research leans in that direction, but even she says sensitivity can be shaped by other things like your childhood environment or life experiences. For example, childhood trauma can lead someone to become more emotionally sensitive. If a child didn’t feel safe or loved growing up, their nervous system might stay on high alert, even years later. This kind of emotional oversensitivity can sometimes be linked to attachment issues.

High sensitivity is not a mental illness, but it can show up in people who have certain conditions. For instance, people with borderline personality disorder might have intense emotions and deep reactions. Those with ADHD can be emotionally impulsive. Others with anxiety or PTSD might be more sensitive to both feelings and surroundings.

Some psychologists say emotional and sensory sensitivity are often treated as separate things, but they may actually overlap.

Being sensitive doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your system reacts more to what’s going on around you—and inside you. With the right support, you can learn to care for yourself in ways that help you thrive.

Final Thoughts

Sensitivity is something to understand. When you learn what your brain and body need, life feels less confusing and more manageable. You don’t have to toughen up or pretend things don’t affect you. You can start by noticing what drains you, what soothes you, and what brings you peace.

Over time, this awareness becomes power—quiet, steady power. And from there, you build a life that fits, not one you have to force.