Look, I get what you’re saying. This new trend of patholgizing everything annoys me too. It’s one of the reasons I generally deny “neruodivergence”, as I said.

But no, the way I’ve experienced emotions is not typical of most people. I struggled intensely during my childhood and in periods of my adulthood because of it. I nearly lost my job last year because of how powerful these emotions are. My friend almost had me committed to a hospital at one point. That is not typical. It is among the human variation, sure, but it is absolutely not common.

It took me actually seeing and recognizing that I am a little bit different than people and it does make me struggle harder than others in order to accept myself and work within my nature instead of against it. I can work with it instead of just trying to clam up and behave like society has always wanted me to.

I had a hell of a lot of therapy since then and I am in a much better place in life than I have ever been before. I also take a medication that I’m not if it is really doing much or not, but I’m afraid to stop taking it just yet.

There is some credence to recognizing that some people may struggle more in life in X way, and others may struggle more in life in Y way.

It’s not in the name of patholgizing for the sake of patholgizing. It’s instead for, as I see it, two reasons:

1. Understanding what your roadblocks are and that they may differ from others. When you have a roadblock that someone else doesn’t, obviously you then need to find a technique to handle said roadblock.

2. Compassion and understanding for those who struggle with things that you don’t. You may not be aware how significantly and deeply you are affecting someone simply because you do not even know their struggle exists.

I hope that makes sense.

And during

Well one good thing is that some cars have auto dimming rearview mirrors. I didn’t realize my car had this feature until I drove one without one. I’m literally never blinded through it at night. It’s nice to have.

Sometimes I feel as though I am a bit “neruodivergent” in that I am much more sensitive than others in a very significant and rather painful way…yet I do not have anything remotely like ADHD or autism, so I don’t call myself it.

No, I do not at all meet the criteria of HSP either. My sensitivity is specific to interpersonal relationships, but does NOT involve the five senses.

Not a great shot, but I have multicolor beans

What the heck? Another dingus!