Am I overly sensitive?

I don’t know that I’d say you’re overly sensitive. We feel what we feel, and that isn’t right or wrong. You might need to work on controlling your response to how you feel, though. If you’re crying at work often, that can cause problems for you. For what it’s worth, I’m an easy crier, too. I just try not to do it in a professional setting. Not always successfully.

Welcome to Fluther, by the way!

I go through periods like this. But I would never call anyone ‘overly sensitive. Feelings are real and crying is perfectly healthy in my book, regardless of how often. If you need to cry, you need to cry. However, my Dr once told me that when one is sleep deprived your hormones go haywire and it can make you incredibly tearful. That might be one reason (but I’m not a Dr) but it could simply be that there are a lot of things going on in your life at the moment that make you sad. A more dangerous position would be if you were sad and holding it all in, or worse, not even aware of it and taking it out on other people.

We all have a right to feel and express our emotions (if no harm comes to others – but that’s a whole other moral and philosophical question). And welcome to Fluther x

Sounds like you need to work on your self esteem and inner confidence. Crying over others perceived disapproval and allowing your emotions to hold you hostage over a difference in opinion or absorbing others negative emotions is not healthy for your mental health.
To be as healthy as one can you need to have a strong sense of self and not be bothered by others opinions.

Take things to heart if warranted but otherwise being a slave to your emotions is not a good thing.

I wonder if your hormones are out of whack. That was my problem.

Any chance you are depressed? Frequent crying, or feeling driven to cry easily is a symptom of depression. But, it can be many other things also. Some people are more sensitive than others, I hate to say overly sensitive. Can be hormonal as other people suggested, does it happen more at certain times of your cycle.

I think it is a good idea to get to the bottom of it. Especially if you are crying a lot at work. What type of work do you do?

I’m sensitive, too, but I don’t cry at work (unless it’s an exceptionally bad situation, maybe three times in 10+ years). Sometimes when I get emotional, I have to compartmentalize, then after work I allow myself to ‘open’ that door and revisit the emotions. It’s not easy, but it does help.

You should appreciate the fact that, as a women, it is at least socially acceptable when you cry publicly. This means you can “get it out” practically anytime and anywhere.

Men aren’t afforded that luxury.

Besides, you’re not overly sensitive. You’re emotionally well lubricated.

@Blondesjon I admire men who cry in public :-)

@nebule They don’t do it over work related stress. Work is a whole different ball game. They can become emotional at work if something horrible has happened, someone was hurt or killed, but they don’t cry because a coworker was mean or they weren’t chosen for something. It is for the most part unnacceptible at work. Women get very little leeway with it also.

@JLeslie Agree completely.

You might be a highly sensitive person (HSP). You can find it out by taking the self-test on hsperson.com
In her national bestseller «The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You» author Elaine Aron defines a distinct personality trait that affects as many as one out of every five people. According to Dr. Aron’s definition, the Highly Sensitive Person has a sensitive nervous system, is aware of subtleties in his/her surroundings, and is more easily overwhelmed when in a highly stimulating environment.

@suncatt That was really cool, and all but a few described how I feel, thanks for sharing. I think the compartmentalization keeps me from showing it too much during my work life. Very enlightening!

I am glad you found it helpful. So you can see that nothing is wrong with you!
On the same site there is a page Comfort Zone ONLINE. You can read «About Crying Easily» from November 2012. Wishing you the best!

@suncatt I mentioned to someone here that I’d be afraid to go to New York or Vegas because of my sensitivity, and people think that sounds crazy, but I’m serious. The flashing lights, people shoving things at you as you walk and the tall buildings, I just don’t know if I could handle it.

Houston freaked me out as a pre-teen, I couldn’t see the sky because of the tall buildings, and it almost felt claustrophobic.

@suncatt Thanks for the link and information, I’ve suspected for a while now that both myself and my son are HSPs xx Really useful stuff x