And if so, is it to many categories of things? Or more specific ones? I guess what I'm getting at is how/if sensitivity is bipolar related.

Stress is something that I've always been quite reactive to. Mostly when it comes to expectations for myself. I'm not exactly a perfectionist. Or maybe a little, but a selective perfectionism (some things, not others). At my last job I had very lofty goals. When my illness and/or abilities made the goals hard to accomplish, I broke down. Frustration seemed to always be the first sign, which often included anger. At the worst, total breakdown. I have found articles that discuss bipolar disorder and perfectionism. One is at Are You a Perfectionist? Bipolar and Perfectionism May Go Hand in Hand - International Bipolar Foundation Not sure if others experience similar.

Here I've written about having had a Teflon coating, at times. This has especially been in reaction to people's anger towards me, mostly all women. I consider myself easy going in some ways, and quite tough in others. I have rarely held grudges towards others, and if I have, I almost always lift them, eventually. I do accept responsibility for mistakes, and know I've made oodles of them. Unfortunately, that's not the case in many people. Anger them once, and you're history. Since I tend not to do that, it perplexes me why others do. I find it sad, for both them and me. Having experienced that since childhood, I've had to throw up my hands and say "C'est la vie!" But it's usually still sad, on a level...and frustrating. Truth is, I know my bipolar behavior has been off-putting to people. Sure, my personality also plays a part, but even that is born from a combo of nature and nurture, of which I think bipolar disorder (and related experiences) contributed. I know that these facts do NOT excuse some my past actions and attitudes, but as I can't meet some of my own expectations for myself, albeit selective, I also can't always meet some of others' expectations for me.