I read some of your other replies before commenting, as well, and echo some of the other commenters.

I've gone through a hell of a year, and most of it has been discovering how deeply I was affected by things my mother and ex-bf did to me. I used to feel 'stable', and then suddenly wasn't and couldn't get my stability back, instead I was sliding down the mountain of my mind telling me just how bad things were. Denial is a very powerful survival mechanism, keeping you going and keeping you mostly numb. It feels stable, but it really isn't. It certainly doesn't solve anything in the long term.

While I don't like calling it 'breaking down barriers', because the barriers I had in place were there for a reason (both my ex and family used to tell me I was so reserved and why couldn't I come out of my shell), if you feel numb to it, you probably didn't process it. You didn't sit through the full extent of what happened to you yet. Now that I've gone through discovering and processing my emotions about the abuse, I still feel things about them, but I'm not reeling from their intensity anymore and overall they have become a thing that happened, not something I'm trying to avoid at all costs thinking about.

I'd even hazard a guess that you feel sensitive (and are maybe called such by others) because of the abuse, and not necessarily because of genetics or such. People called me sensitive because I was treated badly and was protecting myself by withdrawing. Now that I got through it I find myself having solid and genuine emotions, but nothing overwhelming like it used to be. I feel much more stable because when something comes up, I can recognize what I'm feeling and respond in ways that I feel good about in the bigger picture. I don't have to scramble to protect what little sanity I have left.

Your psychologist is someone who can help you when it gets tough. They know the process of someone going through these kinds of painful memories and how to get through to the other side. Because you worked hard on yourself you probably have a good support system in place, so use it if you decide to get through it. You're right in being wary of the rollercoaster, because it is intense. But it's not endless, and there's tangible benefits to not being numb anymore :)