People with THIS personality trait are more likely to experience mental health problems

Mental health has paramount importance in our overall health. Today, awareness around mental health is more than ever. A new study has recently found that a certain personality trait may increase the risk of mental illness.

A recent study found that people with sensitive personalities are more likely to experience mental health problems. The findings of the study are published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science. Mental health and personality traits

This first-ever systematic review and meta-analysis of over 33 studies found that highly sensitive people are more likely to experience mental health problems. The researchers looked at the link between sensitivity and common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

They found that there was a crucial link between too. People who are highly sensitive were more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to those who was less sensitive.What is sensitivity

According to the researchers, sensitivity is a personality trait that reflects people’s capacity to perceive and process environmental stimuli such as bright lights, subtle changes in the environment, and other people’s moods. Mental health studies and clinical practice often focus on neuroticism and its association with mental health conditions; however, the new research tried to understand how a person’s sensitivity level is important and can have therapeutic implications.

For example, people with more sensitive personality traits may be more likely to benefit from treatment plans which involve techniques such as applied relaxation and mindfulness, which can also prevent relapse.What are the experts saying

“This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship. We found positive and moderate correlations between sensitivity and various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia, and avoidant personality disorder.

Our findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice, which could be used to improve the diagnosis of conditions,” Tom Falkenstein, a psychotherapist and a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, said.

“In addition, our findings could help improve treatment for these individuals. Around 31% of the general population is considered highly sensitive, and, as our findings show, are more likely to respond better to some psychological interventions than less sensitive individuals.

Therefore, sensitivity should be considered when thinking about treatment plans for mental health conditions. Our work shows it is crucial that the awareness of sensitivity is improved among mental health care professionals, so clinicians and practitioners can recognise the trait in their patients, and tailor treatment to their sensitivity,” Falkenstein added.

Michael Pluess, Professor in developmental psychology at the University of Surrey and Visiting Professor at Queen Mary University of London, explained, “This is the first meta-analysis providing robust evidence that highly sensitive people are more prone to common mental health problems. However, it is important to remember that highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment.

Our results provide further evidence that sensitive people are more affected by both negative and positive experiences and that the quality of their environment is particularly important for their well-being.”