# Extreme sensitivity to seeing blood/graphic violence- could this be an S trait?



## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

Hello everyone. This question just came to mind right now:

For the longest time, I have had an extreme sensitivity to seeing blood, graphic violence, and depictions of surgery. For instance, I cannot watch violent TV shows where someone gets stabbed, or documentaries about graphic medical procedures. Whenever I have been exposed to a show that has a lot of blood and gore in them (my husband seems to like shows like this), I avert my eyes immediately. I cannot, cannot look at what I see. If there is a depiction of someone getting stabbed, and the noise of a knife cutting into flesh is reproduced very effectively, I have to mentally block out that noise. Sometimes, I get literally sick to my stomach when I see this stuff. The more I see blood and gore, the more I can't stand it. A while ago, my husband and I came to the following compromise: he would watch films/shows with graphic violence on the net, and at times when I was not in the room. He is an N, and he cannot understand my strong reaction to things like this- it has actually irritated him at times. I've explained that I can't help this reaction- it's automatic, and it just occurs naturally. I can't suppress it.

I was just wondering, is it possible that I may have a hard time with graphic visual details because I am an S? The thing is, the sight of these things tend to get locked into my memory. I can remember visual details very well, and the more I am exposed to the sight of something that is revolting to me, the less I can stand it. Would an N have less of a problem with something like this (Ns seem to look beyond the details in front them, Ss tend to be preoccupied with detail)? Not saying that an N couldn't have an issue like this, I'm just wondering if, as a tendency, Ss might be more sensitive to blood and gore? Curious to hear what others here think...


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## Kito (Jan 6, 2012)

Probably more to do with general phobias. I'm in the same boat as you, I can't stand blood or medical stuff (but it's something I can't take my eyes away from either).


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

I'm fine with horror of this kind. I just hate when they go for the eyes. *shudder*


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## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

Kito said:


> Probably more to do with general phobias. I'm in the same boat as you, I can't stand blood or medical stuff (but it's something I can't take my eyes away from either).


I don't think it's a phobia for me. I don't go around thinking, "Oh my god, what if I see something bloody/gory today?" Not at all. It makes me feel more disgusted than afraid.


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## sorry_neither (Mar 21, 2012)

Steel Magnolia said:


> I don't think it's a phobia for me. I don't go around thinking, "Oh my god, what if I see something bloody/gory today?" Not at all. It makes me feel more disgusted than afraid.


Are you an HSP? Otherwise, it just might be a simple aversion. Everyone seems to have something they can't tolerate...like some people can't stand watching embarrassing situations.

I have a friend who's ESFP who can't stand seeing a single drop of blood on TV/movies...but my mom, an ISTJ, gladly watched every Saw movie with me, medical shows and documentaries, violent action shows, etc, etc. And she'll laugh :wink: ESFJ sister is also a fan of the gore.


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## MrShatter (Sep 28, 2010)

Just a phobia. I used to be like that. I still can't stand drowning. :shudder:


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## Glenda Gnome Starr (May 12, 2011)

Oh, I am very squeamish about blood and guts. I can't watch gory movies at all. I also can't watch war scenes in the news. I have to close my eyes and get someone to tell me when it's safe for me to open my eyes again. Oddly enough, though, I have watched surgery on TV and that did not bother me. On the other hand, if I see someone in pain, that does bother me. I feel the other person's pain as if it were my own.
I don't know if the cause of all of this squeamishness is lots of Se or lots of Fi or a combination of the two.


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## reckful (Jun 19, 2012)

As further discussed in this post, it appears there's a pretty substantial correlation between an S preference and conservative political leanings. And a widely-reported recent study found that conservatives tend to be more squeamish than liberals when it comes to disgusting images of various kinds.


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## Planisphere (Apr 24, 2012)

I wouldn't say it's bad to be sensitive toward blood and guts. I'm sensitive toward rape scenes (especially of the most graphic variant). It may be the only other time my Fe starts to show, but it may also be because of my Ni fears for the future. Maybe you could look at your functional stacking, then your own internalized ideals (as well as 'why' - past experiences), and you can determine whether or not it makes sense. My hatred of rape scenes stems mostly from negative views of the future (Ni), specifically of one or two people closest to me (maybe another rare instance of shadow Fe?) It may have also been triggered by Si when I learned that it was possible someone I know and love dearly could have been a victim of it - that was/is when my Fe started/starts up.


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## Glenda Gnome Starr (May 12, 2011)

My squeamishness has led this esfp to become a pacifist, rather than a conservative.roud:




reckful said:


> As further discussed in this post, it appears there's a pretty substantial correlation between an S preference and conservative political leanings. And a widely-reported recent study found that conservatives tend to be more squeamish than liberals when it comes to disgusting images of various kinds.


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## emerald sea (Jun 4, 2011)

i'm the same way and am INFJ...for me it's empathy, i feel what i see


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## Steel Magnolia (Apr 10, 2012)

sorry_neither said:


> Are you an HSP? Otherwise, it just might be a simple aversion. Everyone seems to have something they can't tolerate...like some people can't stand watching embarrassing situations.


I am a highly sensitive person, at least emotionally. But I'm not sure how being an HSP ties into this?


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## LiquidLight (Oct 14, 2011)

It means that you have a complex around this stuff. But it may not necessarily be related to a function, though the nature of that complex (and it's associated affective reactions like the sweating, squeamishness, nausea, etc) would probably manifest through your inferior function. So for instance a Si-dominant might get squeamish about this stuff but it might be linked to intuition (perhaps some sort of bad underlying notion), an Intuitive might have this issue directly related to sensation, etc.


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## Liontiger (Jun 2, 2009)

I think it's more of a phobia thing as well. I personally hate looking at gory things. I actually have a fight or flight response in that my heart starts beating faster, I feel faint, and I have to look away. If someone cuts themselves and starts bleeding, I get an adrenaline jolt through my body. It happens sometimes when I'm just hearing about someone injuring themselves. For me, I think it's just my survival instincts saying, "Not good not good not good!" I'm not sure if that's related to any cognitive functions, but I don't think it is.


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## Planisphere (Apr 24, 2012)

I don't know if this has something to do with Ne or not, but I'll start by attesting to not having a strong Fe - despite that, I find it easy to put myself in another person's shoes. Might be why I'm more pacifist in practice. Even so, I find it hard to give a damn about another person's feelings, unless they really mean a lot to me. Even though I see a lot of people as idiots, I still see potential in them... somehow (my Ti-Ni is probably saying: "damn Ne, stop lying to me").

But then again, I can separate reality and fantasy better than others. There's just something about rape that bothers me though... as if I see it as worse than death.


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## Thalassa (Jun 10, 2010)

I LOVE HORROR MOVIES.

So no it's not because you're an S.

However, I cannot watch ANY kind of realistic animal suffering, like I will turn my head away or cry, I mean I cannot see animals suffer. 

When it comes to horror, though, I don't like torture porn...yet I am totally fine with slasher flicks, etc. 

I have a pretty good grasp on what's real and what isn't, and I don't have any blood phobias.


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## Arrow (Mar 2, 2012)

I'm the same way. I am horrible with this kind of stuff and I can never watch someone suffer because then I imagine what it would feel like for me to suffer. I also kind of get this way around violence or mean spirited humor in general. I imagine what it would feel like for me to be in the situation and then the context becomes impossible for me to find the situation funny. I think this could simply be empathy at some level.


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## sorry_neither (Mar 21, 2012)

Steel Magnolia said:


> I am a highly sensitive person, at least emotionally. But I'm not sure how being an HSP ties into this?


A strong aversion to graphic violence is a pretty common trait for HSPs--it's definitely mentioned in the books I have, and I think it's even one of the questions on the self-test. Though every HSP is a bit different, I don't think you can entirely separate the emotional sensitivity from the sensory sensitivity, since it involves your whole nervous system.

As an HSP, you are more easily overaroused by emotions and sensations. Seeing violence triggers emotions and sensations. That's the whole point of such horror movies, to make people squirm in their seats--but just enough that it's kind of pleasurable, like any other emotional or sensory experience while watching a movie. But for you, it's too much and crosses that threshold of "pleasantly uncomfortable" and you _have_ to look away. Your body goes into "fight or flight" mode.



> I avert my eyes immediately. I cannot, cannot look at what I see.
> Sometimes, I get literally sick to my stomach when I see this stuff.
> I've explained that I can't help this reaction- it's automatic, and it just occurs naturally. I can't suppress it.


This sounds very HSP to me. I don't have this reaction to depictions of violence, but this sounds just like when I go into sensory overload.


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## emerald sea (Jun 4, 2011)

it is also significant to note - those who have been through highly traumatic experiences can sometimes react strongly to watching traumatic experiences of others, if they include any element that reminds them of their own experience. this can occur even many years afterwards, because there is such a thing as chronic PTSD. sometimes it's not officially "chronic PTSD" because it is mild and occurs only in isolated instances, but any phenomenon similar to PTSD-triggering can have this effect. the person will most likely avoid and be unable to deal with seeing it.

there is also something known as "vicarious traumatization" that involves greater sensitivity to violence and various other traumatization symptoms. some mental health professionals experience this, just through working with their patients. 

this is not all - these are just two examples. do not underestimate the role that traumatization can play in how the brain reacts to horror-style scenes. it's not just being an HSP or empath (a type of HSP), or phobias, that can cause a person to have a strong reaction against them.


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## knittigan (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm incredibly sensitive to violence or gore but it's a knee jerk reaction for me. I've never been able to stand it.


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## paper lilies (Dec 6, 2011)

I have a high sensitivity to seeing blood and graphic violence as well.
It is directly related to trauma for me though.
It triggers a bodily reaction and I end up feeling like I'm going to vomit and then I pass out.
I don't even have time to _tell_ anyone that I am going to faint, all of it is very quick.
I do not think it is an 'S' trait but rather a human sensitivity, phobia or a relation to trauma.


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## OldManRivers (Mar 22, 2012)

I have a needle phobia. Blood does not bother me. i have a low clotting factor (which has saved me from strokes and heart problems) and if i nick myself shaving it will bleed in the shower the next day.

When I was a freshman at a community college there was a call for volunteers for blood typing in a med tech class - that was in the days of wood "stickers" and I fainted - 3 or 4 people back in line. I have O negative blood, and it took 5 tries before i could donate blood, and then because the tech was familiar with us scairdy cats. About a year ago i had a cup of hot tea and sat down to watch TV, There was some scene where a captive was about to get an injection - I turned my head as I was bringing the cup up, and poured hot tea down my collar.

I have no idea where this came from. My sister would faint cold at the sight of blood - I witnessed a car accident where an elderly woman's face was sheared half off - gruesome, but not faint producing.

There is one other thing - on a TV show where two men were becoming blood brothers and cut theit palm - same reaction. But when I am dressing game and nick myself, my only concern is infection. No problem


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## OldManRivers (Mar 22, 2012)

Arrow said:


> I'm the same way. I am horrible with this kind of stuff and I can never watch someone suffer because then I imagine what it would feel like for me to suffer. I also kind of get this way around violence or mean spirited humor in general. I imagine what it would feel like for me to be in the situation and then the context becomes impossible for me to find the situation funny. I think this could simply be empathy at some level.


I cannot stand to see an animal suffer. People I have feeling for, and can try to help. but a poor animal has no way to understand. I have put road-hit dogs down by gunshot - an sick, utterably horrible feeling - because there is no help in sight for them and they were suffering.

There is a term for people who freeze up and faint in these circumstances - It was on Law and Order CI about the 5th season. It was demonstrated by 'bobby' and I had my eyes closed. Ohhh cold chills and spotty vision ! I think I'm goin. . .


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## ilphithra (Jun 22, 2010)

Hmm... you guys will want to avoid watching Game of Thrones... *seriously. *

I don't think being "squeamish" has to do with our functions but as others have said, perhaps phobias or HSP. 

For example, when I was a kid, I kind of broke my head and proceeded to make doodles on the wall because I though "oh, red paint (blood). FUN!". 
So, I guess I was born not being "squeamish" so to say. I think it also has to do with how much we are sheltered as we grow up, how much our parents keep us in that innocence bubble where no harm can be done. 
I was never kept in such a bubble _(hell, I was *3* and was running around the house with a pad, pretending I was grown up and had my period)_ and that may have influenced how much I can stomach.


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## Vermillion (Jan 22, 2012)

It could be a phobia. I have the same issue too.


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## OldManRivers (Mar 22, 2012)

OldManRivers said:


> I cannot stand to see an animal suffer. People I have feeling for, and can try to help. but a poor animal has no way to understand. I have put road-hit dogs down by gunshot - an sick, utterably horrible feeling - because there is no help in sight for them and they were suffering.
> 
> There is a term for people who freeze up and faint in these circumstances - It was on Law and Order CI about the 5th season. It was demonstrated by 'bobby' and I had my eyes closed. Ohhh cold chills and spotty vision ! I think I'm goin. . .


I looked up "needle phobia" and found that it is known as Trypanophobia. The primary symtom is vasovagal syncope, or fainting due to a decrease of blood pressure. I have the same reaction to watching someone get cut or cut themself.
Back in the sixties, in the Army we had blood and gore movies before holidays. Medical personel were on hand to cart out the fainting. There were numerous battle vererans who would pass out watching scenes of highway carnage. Didn't bother me at all - my eyes were shut.


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## EccentricSiren (Sep 3, 2013)

I don't think it's an N/S thing. My mom is an S and I'm an N and neither of us like seeing gore in movies. (We both love Criminal Minds, incidentally, but I think both of us have to avert our eyes during certain scenes.) Also, judging from interviews with two film directors I like, who are both INFP and have articulated two very different viewpoints on how much blood and gore is appropriate in a movie and why, I don't really think it's a personality type thing, but something to do with each individual's personal sensibilities, phobias, and preferences.


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## SirenaChitzoph (May 27, 2013)

I thought my input would be somewhat relevant but I'm pretty sure the OP doesn't even remember this thread and :frustrating:


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## Scelerat (Oct 21, 2012)

I can fall asleep during horror/gore/etc movies, so I don't think I'm squeamish in that regard.


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## LadyO.W.BernieBro (Sep 4, 2010)

l don't really have too many extreme reactions to anything, but l try to avoid it. l don't watch the operating scenes on most medical shows, Grey's Anatomy scenes especially gross me out.

lf one were going by stereotypical appeal though, it would seem that ISTP and ESTP may find some enjoyment in action and the things that may come with it, l find them to be typically less squeamish than l am. l just look away though and l'm not exactly traumatized.

l don't have the ''soft stomach'' thing, usually don't react to hearing something gross while eating.

Oh, and l can fall asleep with full blast headphones on which used to anger people in my household greatly :crazy:


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## februarystars (Aug 22, 2012)

I am really squeamish about gore - to the point where I feel sick/faint (usually faint). 

However I am also just sensitive to violence in general. If I watch a movie etc where someone is being hurt I sometimes feel pretty unsettled/bad for a while after. 

I thought that might be an Fi thing - having a lot of empathy so feeling others pain kinda thing.


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## SirenaChitzoph (May 27, 2013)

februarystars said:


> I thought that might be an Fi thing - having a lot of empathy so feeling others pain kinda thing.


Forgive and correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't empathy more of an Fe thing?


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