"Shame is a deeply painful emotion, a sense of humiliation and unworthiness that comes from feeling flawed. Unfortunately, in a culture that often values toughness, loudness, and extroversion, sensitive children are frequently misunderstood. They're told to "stop being a crybaby," and their emotional responses may be dismissed or even ridiculed. Rather than being supported, they're often shamed for being "too emotional." But their sensitivity is not a weakness-it's a gift."
"As a psychiatrist who was also a highly sensitive child, I know firsthand how shame can cloud one's self-worth. I remember my mother saying in front of her friends, "Judith, you need to toughen up and get a thicker skin. You'll never survive in this world otherwise." That one comment made me want to disappear. When children are shamed, especially in front of others, it can stick in their psyche and follow them into adulthood-affecting their confidence, relationships, and sense of identity."
Highly sensitive children are biologically wired to feel more deeply and have finely tuned nervous systems that absorb stimuli with heightened intensity. They are easily overstimulated and experience both joy and pain more intensely than peers. Cultural values of toughness and extroversion often lead to misunderstanding, dismissal, ridicule, and shaming of sensitive responses. Shame produces humiliation and a sense of unworthiness that can persist into adulthood, undermining confidence, relationships, and identity. Sensitive traits represent creative talents that require validation, nurturing, and acceptance. Parental responses that validate feelings and affirm worth help prevent lasting shame and support healthy emotional development.
Read at Psychology Today
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