RainyAfternoon
Member
- Mar 2, 2025
- 13
I've always had high emotional sensitivity, which has made dating extremely difficult for me.
A few weeks ago, I went on a first date with girl. She was interesting, unique, and had a lot in common with me. The date seemed to be going well; she invited me to her house and ended up initiating kissing me and cuddling very intimately. The next morning, I told her I wanted to see her again, and to my surprise she sent me a rather scathing and insulting rejection message. This gave me so much emotional whiplash that I crashed hard. It felt like a shock to my brain. In the weeks since this event, my body has been going through the same physical/mental trauma that I would typically have after a difficult breakup. I've been extremely depressed, hopeless, unable to eat, etc. All of this from someone that I saw for 3 hours and didn't even know existed until now.
Logically I know that this is an irrational response, but I can't change the way I respond emotionally to these sorts of things.
I've had 3 breakups in the last 2 years, plus a fair share of rejections. All of which have left their traumatic emotional mark on me.
I also get similar reactions to social situations where I feel like I've treated someone poorly and haven't reconciled. For example, after getting angry with a coworker or friend and not having the opportunity to apologize and talk it out. Any unresolved conflict like this weighs on me forever.
Another side-effect of being highly sensitive is that I cry easily in various situations, including:
- After breaking or damaging something
- After losing something
- Returning purchases (this one doesn't make sense to me but I feel a lot of emotional pain when I have to do this)
- When my houseplants are not doing well
- During intimate cuddling/kissing with someone
- While watching emotional movies or listening to emotional music
- When imagining the act of CTB
Being emotional as a man is frowned upon by society. Even though people say it's a good thing to be sensitive, the reality is that people are not very supportive of highly sensitive men.
Several of my past girlfriends have told me they found it unattractive when I cried in front of them.
I don't know, it's just how I am and unfortunately it isn't something I have much control over.
A few weeks ago, I went on a first date with girl. She was interesting, unique, and had a lot in common with me. The date seemed to be going well; she invited me to her house and ended up initiating kissing me and cuddling very intimately. The next morning, I told her I wanted to see her again, and to my surprise she sent me a rather scathing and insulting rejection message. This gave me so much emotional whiplash that I crashed hard. It felt like a shock to my brain. In the weeks since this event, my body has been going through the same physical/mental trauma that I would typically have after a difficult breakup. I've been extremely depressed, hopeless, unable to eat, etc. All of this from someone that I saw for 3 hours and didn't even know existed until now.
Logically I know that this is an irrational response, but I can't change the way I respond emotionally to these sorts of things.
I've had 3 breakups in the last 2 years, plus a fair share of rejections. All of which have left their traumatic emotional mark on me.
I also get similar reactions to social situations where I feel like I've treated someone poorly and haven't reconciled. For example, after getting angry with a coworker or friend and not having the opportunity to apologize and talk it out. Any unresolved conflict like this weighs on me forever.
Another side-effect of being highly sensitive is that I cry easily in various situations, including:
- After breaking or damaging something
- After losing something
- Returning purchases (this one doesn't make sense to me but I feel a lot of emotional pain when I have to do this)
- When my houseplants are not doing well
- During intimate cuddling/kissing with someone
- While watching emotional movies or listening to emotional music
- When imagining the act of CTB
Being emotional as a man is frowned upon by society. Even though people say it's a good thing to be sensitive, the reality is that people are not very supportive of highly sensitive men.
Several of my past girlfriends have told me they found it unattractive when I cried in front of them.
I don't know, it's just how I am and unfortunately it isn't something I have much control over.
