Just about a month ago, I ran across the concept of the Highly Sensitive Person.
And discovered that I'm in the 20% of the population that is one!
Here's the self-test I took,
a 27 item checklist, and got 21.
Since this concept has only been developed and recognized as such since 1996, it is highly probable that we were denigrated for having this trait. In fact, most of the book Dr. Aron wrote on the subject is about reassuring such folks that they have been unfairly treated when they express this trait!
This is an innate trait; we are born this way. And dealing with the 80% of the population who are
not highly sensitive? That can be very upsetting!
I've just begun exploring the implications, but this explains much of how the stress during my adolescence tormented me so much, why I binged as a coping mechanism, and why I "take things so hard."
I'm just built that way
But it also comes with gifts! Being a Noticer also means picking up subtle cues others miss, figuring out the behaviors of people and pets, and embracing the good, and bad, in life more deeply.
I wouldn't trade this gift for anything.