With sensitive children, physical blows or traumas aren't required to make them afraid of the dark.

You were born to be among the advisors and thinkers, the spiritual and moral leaders for your society. There is every reason for pride.

Make good boundaries your goal. They are your right, your responsibility, your greatest source of dignity.

In short, you do not have to take the job that will create excessive stress and overarousal. Someone else will take it and flourish in it. You do not have to work long hours. Indeed, it may be your duty to work shorter ones. It may not be best to advertise it, but keeping yourself healthy and in your right range of arousal is the first condition for helping others.

Being highly sensitive does not at all rule out being, in your own way, a tenacious survivor.

It is true that even when exhausted you still are providing something to those you serve. But you are out of touch with your deepest strengths, role-modelling self-destructive behaviour, martyring yourself, and giving others cause for guilt.