Sometimes a person isn’t “fussy” or “difficult.” Their sensory system simply works differently. Their brain responds differently to tastes and smells.
With hypersensitivity, smells and tastes feel much too intense. A faint perfume can feel suffocating, even make someone feel as though they might pass out. A strong smell from food in the fridge can hit the body and mind like a blow.
Food with the “wrong” texture—and the body already tightens. Stress, nausea, disgust, an urgent wish to get away. If there is nothing with a tolerable taste or texture, the person may not want to eat at all.
This isn’t a character flaw or a whim. It is real for the person: their nervous system is overloaded by sensations their brain reads as threatening.
With hyposensitivity, it is the other way around. Smells are barely noticeable, food tastes of very little, and there is a craving for more spice, more salt, stronger flavors. A person may unintentionally overeat while looking for enough sensation, or fail to notice that food has gone off.
The body needs more input to feel something. Unusual food textures can be appealing, and moving a non-food object around in the mouth may feel pleasant. Strong smells can bring relaxation and enjoyment.
It is as though the nervous system has finally had enough of what it needs. It settles, and concentrating becomes easier.
Neither pattern is about willpower, poor upbringing, or bad habits. It is about how the brain processes sensory information. The difference is not simply in the sense organs themselves, but in the nervous system’s processing. These are individual differences, not in themselves an illness.
Once we understand this, things become easier. We can look for ways to adapt: adjusting our surroundings and food, using sensory therapy, and working with regulation through the body.