Research is advancing to understand what hypersensitivity is.
- To be hypersensitive is to have one or more senses that trigger a reaction of confusion, stress or great nervousness in certain situations.
- It can be for example a hypersensitivity to noise, certain clothes, smells, food or light.
- Emotional hypersensitivity, also called “high emotional potential”, triggers particularly intense emotions in the person concerned, in contact with other people or in particular situations.
While we all perceive everyone through our five senses, for some of us noise, physical contact or certain smells can trigger intense nervousness and stress. Sometimes it is the emotions of others that are perceived excessively.
How do hypersensitive people perceive the world around them?
To be hypersensitive is to have one or more senses that trigger a reaction of confusion, stress or great nervousness in certain situations. It can be for example a hypersensitivity to noise, certain clothes, smells, food or light.
For the hypersensitive, this type of situation triggers great suffering with sometimes consequences in daily life.
What do studies say to explain hypersensitivity?
Initially described in children with autism or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity), the studies highlight a hypothesis that is both genetic and neurological. It would be the transmission of information in the brain, in particular at the level of the white matter, which could cause this type of perception in certain people, from childhood and throughout their life.
What about emotional hypersensitivity?
As with sensory hypersensitivity, emotional hypersensitivity, also called “high emotional potential”, triggers particularly intense emotions in those affected, in contact with other people or in particular situations.
The emotionally hypersensitive person feels the emotions of others very intensely, without understanding why. For example, she may be very happy when she arrives at a place and suddenly feel sad or anxious for no particular reason. In addition to heightened sensory perception, there is also a tendency to analyze others and put oneself in their place more easily, as well as an overwhelming emotionality.
To feel good, the emotionally hypersensitive therefore needs to learn to know himself, and to make the difference between what he feels and what he perceives from his environment, while using his emotivity and his creativity for his welfare.
Source: Adrian Galiana-Simal et al. (2020) Sensory processing disorder: Key points of a frequent alteration in neurodevelopmental disorders, Cogent Medicine, 7:1, DOI: 10.1080/2331205X.2020.1736829
Find out more: “Am I hypersensitive? Investigation into an unknown power” by Fabrice Midal.