I don't know as I have any real answers to this although I have experienced some of it myself. And, like you, I've been trying to improve for years. But, in the end, I'm still just the same old person. There are a number of things I could point to as perhaps being the cause of my own sensitivity. But I don't really know if any of them are actually at the root of it. Perhaps it's simply a genetic trait?

One possible explanation for what you experience might be that you are what is referred to as a "highly sensitive person". Perhaps you're familiar with that concept? Here are links to 7 articles, from PC's archives, on the subject:

Understanding a Highly Sensitive Person : What is an HSP?

What Makes a Highly Sensitive Person?

5 Ways Highly Sensitive People Can Live In an Insensitive World

What Does It Mean to Be a Highly Sensitive Person?

10 Tips for Highly Sensitive People

https://psychcentral.com/blog/more-c...dium=popular17

https://psychcentral.com/blog/5-gift...dium=popular17