From the moment you arrived in this world, your body became an instrument of perception, a living symphony of signals, vibrations, and sensations.
Yet somewhere along the way, society reduced this beautiful orchestra to just five neat categories:
The rest, the quiet, intuitive, deeply felt senses, were dismissed, unseen, unnamed.
But you were born with more than five senses. You simply forgot to name them.
There’s the vestibular sense, your body’s whisper of balance. The one that tells you where you are in space, how to stand tall or curl inward.
There’s proprioception, the deep awareness of movement and muscle, letting you dance through life even when your eyes are closed.
And interoception, that gentle pulse that lets you feel hunger, calm, panic, or peace from the inside out.
Then there are the less tangible senses. The ones that science struggles to measure but your soul knows well.
Intuition: the knowing that comes before thought.
Imagination: the sense that bridges what is with what could be.
Energy sensing: the silent language of empathy, when you feel a room’s mood before anyone speaks.
And the moral field: that quiet tug of conscience that feels truth before logic arrives.
For many neurodivergent people, these “extra” senses are not extras at all, they are primary languages of experience.
What others might call “oversensitive” or “too much” is often an expanded range of sensory and emotional attunement. It’s the ability to read the world in textures, tones, micro-expressions, and vibrations that others miss. It’s noticing the shift in the air before a storm, the tension in a friend’s silence, or the pulse of possibility in a new idea.
This kind of sensing can be both a gift and a burden. When unrecognised, it leads to overwhelm, burnout, or shame. But when honoured, it becomes wisdom, the ability to perceive life in FULL colour, to connect deeply, and to heal through awareness.
So perhaps the journey isn’t about dulling our sensitivity but reclaiming it, naming the forgotten senses and letting them guide us home to ourselves. Because the truth is, you were never “too sensitive.” You were just born wide open to life.
Original post by Deborah Gale 23 October 2025, shared with permission
About This Blog
This space was created to gently explore ideas supported by the best available scientific evidence around neurodiversity and neuroaffirming practice. My goal is to encourage acceptance of neurological differences and understanding of intersectionality in the communication of respect, safety, and autonomy for neurodivergent people—with a focus on Autistic and ADHD lived experiences.
Please note: Nothing shared here is medical advice or therapy. If you’re in crisis, reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14, call 000, or go to your nearest emergency department.