I'm very sensitive to feeling invalidated, and I've got the whole history of parents invalidating, too. It's an awful feeling, and at least in my case it often leads to self-doubt and self-loathing simply for feeling something different or more intensely than others might. Since I've been reading up on Highly Sensitive People and recognizing that I am one of them and that 80-85 percent of the population is not, I'm much easier on myself about it. I still get triggered when someone tells me to lighten up or that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. But I remind myself that to me it IS a mountain, and this is true despite it being a molehill to others.

But it's not easy, and feeling invalidated sucks. I'm sorry you're dealing with that, too.

(((((fuzzy)))))

gg