All posts tagged: sensitive

Brighton beach rapist housed in 3-star hotel after ‘murder conviction’ | UK | News

Brighton beach rapist housed in 3-star hotel after ‘murder conviction’ | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A small boat migrant convicted of raping a woman on Brighton beach had arrived in Britain after fleeing a murder conviction in Egypt, it has emerged. Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, was among three men found guilty yesterday of raping a 33-year-old woman who was dragged behind a beach hut, pinned down, spat on and kicked in the early hours of October 4 last year. The victim said she feared the laughing attackers would kill her as she lapsed in and out of consciousness. It reportedly emerged during an earlier court appearance that Al-Danasurt had written on his asylum application that he had been convicted of murder in his absence in Egypt — a capital offence. He is understood to have claimed mistaken identity and blamed his brother for the killing. His defence barrister disputed that he had been convicted of murder. The jury had not been told of this history before his conviction at Hove Crown Court, state reports. Questions have been raised about how Al-Danasurt could have been housed in a three-star hotel in Horsham, …

3 Ways to Support Your Highly Sensitive Child

3 Ways to Support Your Highly Sensitive Child

Published by Jenni Sidey

Highly sensitive children are often deeply perceptive, emotionally tuned in, and easily overwhelmed. They are not “problem children” to be fixed but temperamentally unique individuals who thrive (or struggle) depending on how environments and caregivers respond to them. Scientific research shows that this sensitivity isn’t just a parenting buzzword: it’s a measurable individual difference (often referred to as environmental and sensory sensitivity), and it shapes how children respond to both supportive and stressful influences in their environment. Here are three evidence-based ways to support your highly sensitive child. 1. Highly Sensitive Kids Thrive on Support That Builds Emotional Security One of the most consistent findings in developmental science is that sensitive children are especially affected by the quality of caregiving they receive, for better and for worse. In a large longitudinal study published in Development and Psychopathology, researchers followed more than 600 children aged 9 to 12 and found that children with higher environmental sensitivity benefited most from supportive parenting. Those who perceived their parents as less supportive were more likely to develop attachment vulnerabilities …

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: The Iceberg Under the Surface

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: The Iceberg Under the Surface

Published by Jenni Sidey

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), a lesser-known ADHD symptom, affects many of us in the neurodivergent community. But what is it, exactly? To understand, we look to the work of psychiatrist William Dodson, who defines RSD as an intense vulnerability to the perception—not necessarily the reality—of being rejected, teased, or criticized by important people in your life. This isn’t just a matter of “feeling sensitive.” It causes extreme emotional pain that can be triggered by a sense of failure or falling short of your own high standards. It’s an experience so intense that it can feel almost physically painful (Mutti-Driscoll, 2024). The “Iceberg” of RSD Experts increasingly think of RSD as an iceberg. Most people only see what’s happening at the tip, when an emotional outburst occurs, but there is so much more operating below the surface (Mutti-Driscoll, in press). Above the Surface: The Stress Response On the surface, we see only the immediate reaction, especially in those with more difficulty controlling their emotional expression. Some describe it as a “white heart rage” or the “depths …

2 Signs Your Sensitive Child Is Stuck in a Thought Spiral

2 Signs Your Sensitive Child Is Stuck in a Thought Spiral

Published by Jenni Sidey

Many sensitive kids I work with are deeply empathetic, morally aware, thoughtful, and perceptive. But when that sensitivity pairs with an overactive thinking style, something shifts. Feelings don’t just pass through; they get analyzed, stretched, and amplified. I have had many kids share with me how small moments become long replays (e.g., academic struggles, social misfires, and sports/activities-related disappointments). These kids reveal to me how mild concerns become supercharged by non-stop “What ifs.” This makes passing events turn into lingering self-doubts. What then results is a form of mental overload. What follows are two signs that your child’s big emotions are actually driven by overthinking. Sign 1: They Can’t Let Things Go Every child has their ups and downs and gets upset. But the kids whom I see in my practice and describe in my book, Freeing Your Child From Overthinking, revisit situations long after they are over. They also ask the same questions repeatedly as they are seeking a sense of certainty (e.g., “What if I mess up?”). Then, these kids struggle to shift …

Asylum seeker accused of ‘sticking out tongue’ to friend during alleged rape | UK | News

Asylum seeker accused of ‘sticking out tongue’ to friend during alleged rape | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

A man who smiled and stuck his tongue out to his friend while he was allegedly raping a woman on Brighton beach has denied “celebrating her humiliation”. Asylum seeker Ibrahim Alshafe, 25, is on trial alongside co-defendants Karin Al-Danasurt, 20, and Abdulla Ahmadi, 26, for allegedly targeting the woman in a “cynical, predatory and callous” attack in the early hours of October 4 last year. Alshafe and Ahmadi are accused of repeatedly raping the woman on the East Sussex beach, while Al-Danasurt filmed the incident. Alshafe gave evidence at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, April 8 and said he believed the woman wanted to have sex with him, adding: “I swear I didn’t rape her.” The Egyptian national previously told the court the woman had approached himself and Ahmadi, kissing them and touching them so they thought she wanted to have sex. Jurors at Hove Crown Court were shown a video in which Alshafe is seen smiling with his tongue out and making a hand gesture towards his friend filming. He claimed he did not …

The Best Skin Care for Sensitive Skin Won’t Irritate Your Face

The Best Skin Care for Sensitive Skin Won’t Irritate Your Face

Published by Jenni Sidey

As someone with dry, eczema-prone skin, finding the right skin care for sensitive skin isn’t exactly a walk in the park. You never really know a product isn’t for you until your skin starts tingling, burning, or—my personal favorite—turning an alarming shade of red. “Sensitive skin refers to skin that is more prone to irritation from environmental factors, skin care products, or even stress,” Dr. Azadeh Shirazi, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of La Jolla Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center, says. “While not a medical diagnosis, sensitive skin is a skin type that requires extra care and attention to maintain its barrier and prevent discomfort.” Body washes and lotions can absolutely help keep skin hydrated and moisturized. But if they’re loaded with fragrance or packed with harsh ingredients like alcohols and sulfates, they can trigger irritation. And if your skin is already delicate, it doesn’t take much. One of the easiest wins for sensitive skin? Go fragrance-free whenever possible and stick with a gentle facial cleanser. The good news: these products aren’t nearly as hard …

Why Highly Sensitive People Feel Compelled to Manage Others’ Feelings

Why Highly Sensitive People Feel Compelled to Manage Others’ Feelings

Published by Jenni Sidey

Do you easily absorb others’ emotions? Are you hyper-aware of others’ moods? This is often the case for highly sensitive people (HSPs). Because of your sensitivity, you often notice tension in others’ voices, subtle shifts in facial expression, or the smallest change in a room’s energy, and your body reacts before your mind fully registers what’s happening. Because you feel these shifts so quickly and intensely, it can be hard to simply notice them and move on. Many HSPs develop a strong pull to ease tension or ensure everyone is OK. Over time, this can slide into rescuing, where empathy turns into over-responsibility for other people’s emotional states. How a Pattern of Rescuing or Fixing Develops Most people don’t consciously decide to become rescuers. This pattern is usually learned early, especially in emotionally intense or unpredictable families. This can happen when family members have intense or unpredictable emotions, you were praised for being helpful or easygoing, conflict felt unsafe or overwhelming, or you learned to track others’ moods to stay emotionally secure. As a result, …

‘It beggars belief’: UK military reveal locations inside sensitive bases through exercise app | UK News

‘It beggars belief’: UK military reveal locations inside sensitive bases through exercise app | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A Conservative MP has said it “beggars belief” that UK military personnel have revealed their locations inside sensitive military bases via the Strava exercise app. Ben Obese-Jecty, a former army officer, has criticised what he regards as the potential threat from Britain’s adversaries, who might discover personal details via the tracking platform. It is reported nearly 520 people working at some of the UK’s most sensitive sites have shared their activity publicly on the app, according to The i Paper. Mr Obese-Jecty, who represents Huntingdon, wrote on X: “I stopped using Strava when I became an MP and I locked down my profile long before that. The app has numerous features to enable you to keep your data private. “It beggars belief that our armed forces don’t have a grip of this given the current, and very real, threat posed by sub-threshold activity from our adversaries.” Using GPS, the Strava app tracks certain activities, like running and cycling, and allows users to share the routes they have taken. The newspaper found that, since January, 110 …

Viewers left uneasy over BBC’s ‘sensitive’ 2-part factual drama about Sarah Everard

Viewers left uneasy over BBC’s ‘sensitive’ 2-part factual drama about Sarah Everard

Published by Daniella Wilson

TV viewers have been left feeling uneasy over the BBC‘s latest announcement that a two-part factual drama will portray the events surrounding the murder of Sarah Everard. Sarah was abducted, raped and murdered by Wayne Couzens, a serving member of the Metropolitan Police, as she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, on 3 March 2021. News of Sarah’s death sparked a national outcry, with many taking to the streets to protest institutional misogyny and failings within policing, as well as to call for greater awareness around women’s safety. The case remains an extremely sensitive subject, leaving some viewers questioning the necessity of a factual drama so soon after the events. The series is written by BAFTA-winning Jeff Pope, who has created other factual dramas based on real-life cases including Little Boy Blue, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and A Confession. According to the BBC, the drama will be handled with “sensitivity and respect”, and the production team has been in contact with Sarah’s family. © Everard family & …

U.S. Gasoline Prices Hit Politically Sensitive Level As Trump Eyes Iran War Off-Ramp

U.S. Gasoline Prices Hit Politically Sensitive $4 Level As Trump Eyes Iran War Off-Ramp

Published by Jenni Sidey

The overnight Wall Street Journal report that President Trump told aides he is willing to wind down the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted (and appeared to confirm this narrative in a social media post this morning) comes just as the national average gasoline price hit the politically sensitive $4-a-gallon threshold, underscoring the delicate balancing act the administration is facing in managing battlefield objectives and domestic fuel costs. The latest AAA data shows gasoline prices nationwide topped $4 a gallon on Monday, a 35% increase for Regular 87 at the pump and the largest price shock on record dating back to 2004. Regular 87 gasoline prices at the pump nationwide have returned to the price shock levels seen during the 2022 Russia-Ukraine crisis. Largest monthly price shock on record. Early last week, Bonnie Herzog, managing director and senior consumer analyst at Goldman Sachs, wrote in a note that when fuel prices spike to these “psychological threshold” levels, above $3 and approaching $4 a gallon, consumers tend to drive …