Am I too sentimental for life?
I realise this sounds very random, but I've realised recently that my whole life I've been so emotionally sentimental. When I was a kid I used to cry nearly every night about my parents dying and about family and about how life is so delicate and so precious.
In primary and secondary school I saw everyone around me as so temporary but so important and such a miracle. But this made me have a low mood everyday. I remember one time I was on a beach and actually feeling free and happy but then my family walked ahead of me and I could see people in the sea and I just looked up at the sky and remembered how it will all end and how much humans put into enjoying life despite how short it is. I nearly had a full blown mental breakdown/existential crisis just from looking at people enjoying their time.
I'm now 19 and just walked along the street seeing people and families enjoying their evening at Christmas markets and buying gifts for eachother and little children's faces smiling and I literally started crying while walking past and thought what the hell is wrong with me! I cant handle how innocent life is and how we all do so many things for happiness when we could just do nothing. It makes me really appreciate life and people but it really messes with my mental state.
I cant take care of myself and I don't buy things for myself or even see myself doing happy things in the future because my mind won't let me see life in the way others do. I just see it as so temporary that theres no time to enjoy it. I once went on a friend holiday to Spain and spent the whole time dissociated and emotional about how ill look back at this on my death bed which means I can never be in the present. I just instantly dissociate from things that are happening around me and they go in slow motion.
Another example is when it was my grans birthday and she was about to blow out the candles, I had to go out of the way because I had tears in my eyes about how one day she won't have another birthday and one day none of my family will, even my 10 year old brother.
How can I start to enjoy life and stop over analysing it to the point that Ill look back and realise I've wasted my whole life mentally destroying myself?
Im sorry how long and disjointed this message is! I think I'm just venting everything at once but thank you so much for reading this, I really appreciate it
In primary and secondary school I saw everyone around me as so temporary but so important and such a miracle. But this made me have a low mood everyday. I remember one time I was on a beach and actually feeling free and happy but then my family walked ahead of me and I could see people in the sea and I just looked up at the sky and remembered how it will all end and how much humans put into enjoying life despite how short it is. I nearly had a full blown mental breakdown/existential crisis just from looking at people enjoying their time.
I'm now 19 and just walked along the street seeing people and families enjoying their evening at Christmas markets and buying gifts for eachother and little children's faces smiling and I literally started crying while walking past and thought what the hell is wrong with me! I cant handle how innocent life is and how we all do so many things for happiness when we could just do nothing. It makes me really appreciate life and people but it really messes with my mental state.
I cant take care of myself and I don't buy things for myself or even see myself doing happy things in the future because my mind won't let me see life in the way others do. I just see it as so temporary that theres no time to enjoy it. I once went on a friend holiday to Spain and spent the whole time dissociated and emotional about how ill look back at this on my death bed which means I can never be in the present. I just instantly dissociate from things that are happening around me and they go in slow motion.
Another example is when it was my grans birthday and she was about to blow out the candles, I had to go out of the way because I had tears in my eyes about how one day she won't have another birthday and one day none of my family will, even my 10 year old brother.
How can I start to enjoy life and stop over analysing it to the point that Ill look back and realise I've wasted my whole life mentally destroying myself?
Im sorry how long and disjointed this message is! I think I'm just venting everything at once but thank you so much for reading this, I really appreciate it
I think you sound like a sensitive soul, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of! I can relate to a lot of what you’ve said, and although this level of sensitivity can be burdensome at times, it also carries its own strengths, and I would encourage you to play to them. You’re also not alone - Google “highly sensitive person”, there’s been a lot of research and writing in this area.
However, it also seems you’re quite anxious, hence why you can’t enjoy the moment. I know this will sound clichéd but practising mindfulness will really help, although it is difficult at first. I’d also possibly look into other forms of self-help or even therapy.
However, it also seems you’re quite anxious, hence why you can’t enjoy the moment. I know this will sound clichéd but practising mindfulness will really help, although it is difficult at first. I’d also possibly look into other forms of self-help or even therapy.
Original post by Arno11
I think you sound like a sensitive soul, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of! I can relate to a lot of what you’ve said, and although this level of sensitivity can be burdensome at times, it also carries its own strengths, and I would encourage you to play to them. You’re also not alone - Google “highly sensitive person”, there’s been a lot of research and writing in this area.
However, it also seems you’re quite anxious, hence why you can’t enjoy the moment. I know this will sound clichéd but practising mindfulness will really help, although it is difficult at first. I’d also possibly look into other forms of self-help or even therapy.
However, it also seems you’re quite anxious, hence why you can’t enjoy the moment. I know this will sound clichéd but practising mindfulness will really help, although it is difficult at first. I’d also possibly look into other forms of self-help or even therapy.
Thank you so much for your reply :-)
I will definitely look this up online! I appreciate it so much! I think you’re definitely right, about everything and I should definitely look into mindfulness and perhaps therapy. I have never tried these before so would be very willing to try them out 😊
It’s really comforting to know I’m not alone in this, I hope you have found ways to cope with this yourself too. You say that playing to the sensitivity can have strengths too, i would love to look more into this!
Thank you so so much for your help, I wish you all the best in life :-)
I relate very strongly to this, I've always focused so much on what circumstances could/should/will be, that I've struggled to be grateful for the present. I think the fact that we're identifying this issue is a good sign, because we have time to work on it, and I wish you the very best of luck with finding peace 
i normally only comment on things related to admissions haha but i just logged on and saw your post and couldn't help responding. i don't think you're too sensitive for life. everyone is deserving of it, at least that's my belief, and even if you have a more sensitive disposition, that doesn't make you any more or less worthy.
maybe you could benefit from therapy or consulting with a mental health professional of some sort? it sounds like this is affecting you in your day-to-day life. im always hesitant to pathologize the behaviors of random strangers on the internet, but i suppose the point at which it makes sense to seek help is when something keeps interfering with the quotidian.
finally, im personally into absurdist philosophy. i resent stoicism for treating emotions and vulnerability as weakness and absurdism doesn't do that. it encourages people to search for happiness with the knowledge that everything will end one day for each one of us because, after all, that's all we can do.
maybe you could benefit from therapy or consulting with a mental health professional of some sort? it sounds like this is affecting you in your day-to-day life. im always hesitant to pathologize the behaviors of random strangers on the internet, but i suppose the point at which it makes sense to seek help is when something keeps interfering with the quotidian.
finally, im personally into absurdist philosophy. i resent stoicism for treating emotions and vulnerability as weakness and absurdism doesn't do that. it encourages people to search for happiness with the knowledge that everything will end one day for each one of us because, after all, that's all we can do.
i feel like this all the time and it really hurts. how do you get out of your head? i don't think i will ever be able to
Original post by jennybarelyalive
i feel like this all the time and it really hurts. how do you get out of your head? i don't think i will ever be able to
It used to be a lot worse for me. It does get better with more life experiences, self-care and self-knowledge.
your ability to see the big picture means you can also enjoy life in the moment 😊
Original post by Anonymous #1
Thank you so much for your reply :-)
I will definitely look this up online! I appreciate it so much! I think you’re definitely right, about everything and I should definitely look into mindfulness and perhaps therapy. I have never tried these before so would be very willing to try them out 😊
It’s really comforting to know I’m not alone in this, I hope you have found ways to cope with this yourself too. You say that playing to the sensitivity can have strengths too, i would love to look more into this!
Thank you so so much for your help, I wish you all the best in life :-)
I will definitely look this up online! I appreciate it so much! I think you’re definitely right, about everything and I should definitely look into mindfulness and perhaps therapy. I have never tried these before so would be very willing to try them out 😊
It’s really comforting to know I’m not alone in this, I hope you have found ways to cope with this yourself too. You say that playing to the sensitivity can have strengths too, i would love to look more into this!
Thank you so so much for your help, I wish you all the best in life :-)
Hey, I was exactly like this until I took antidepressants, however I’m off them now and I’m back like that 😂 I would cry at almost everything such as hearing a nostalgic sound, smelling a certain smell, watching a child smile and honestly the list goes on. It can be very very challenging to deal with and can seriously affect your perceptions on life. Going through an average day should not be triggering. It is different if it fleets or appears sometimes, as I would say sentimentality is a universally felt feeling. I find if my stress is more heightened with coursework, family or relationship problems my sentimentality gets a lot worse. You want to appreciate the past but not live in it! It’s really scary.
(edited 2 months ago)
