One in 3 person is hypersensitive and more exposed to anxiety and depression

One in three people have one more acute sensitivity than normal. Note every nuance in the mood of others, perceives noises that others ignore, lets itself be overwhelmed by the emotions more easily. It is not a “character” defect, but a very precise trait of personality that has a scientific name: Sensitivity of sensory processing. And that, according to the first systematic study never conducted on the subject, can increase the risk of mood disorders.

The analysis, published on Clinical Psychological Sciencepassed 33 searches that had involved almost 13,000 people. And the discovery was that Those who have a more sensitive personality are more likely to develop mental health problems. “Ours is the most extensive systematic revision on sensitivity and mental health in teenagers and adults ever made so far, and it is the first meta-analysis on the subject to estimate the impact of this relationship”, explains Tom Falkenstein, psychotherapist and PhD student at Queen Mary University in London. “We found positive and moderate correlations between sensitivity and various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia and avoidant personality disorder”.

hypersensitivity: what it is

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But what exactly does it mean to be hypersensitive? In their study, researchers define sensitivity as a trait of personality that reflects our ability to perceive and develop environmental stimuli, such as intense lights, thin changes in the environment and moods of others. It is not a question of being more emotional or introverted: it is a very specific neurological feature.

Highly sensitive people elaborate the most deeply information, They feel easily overwhelmed by some situations and have a lower threshold than sensory stimuli. They perceive shades that escape others: the almost imperceptible gearbox in the expression of a face, the hum of a fluorescent light bulb, the tension in a room. This ability can be a gift – makes them more empathetic, creative and attentive to details – but it can also turn into a weight when the world becomes too intense to manage.

Not just aesthetic

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Research shows that not all aspects of sensitivity affect mental well -being in the same way. Those who feel easily overwhelmed or have difficulty filtering noises and lights, for example, could be more at risk of developing psychological problems than those who are only more sensitive to the beauty of art or music.

“All this suggests that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice, which could be used to improve the diagnosis of conditions,” continues Falkenstein. And here opens an interesting paradox. Because if it is true that highly sensitive people are more vulnerable to mental disorders, it is also that they can better respond to therapy. “About 31% of the general population is considered highly sensitive, and, as our results show, it is more likely to respond better to some psychological interventions than the less sensitive individuals,” the researcher points out.

therapies

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Mindfulness and relaxation techniques and strategies to manage hyper-activation could be the effective for those who live with discomfort the sensitivity surplus. Because in the end, as the study points out, being highly sensitive is neither a defect nor a superpower: it is only a different way of elaborating the world, which can lead to a greater vulnerability, but also to a greater healing capacity.