raw nerves
Touchy emotional spots
Raw nerves are emotional sensitivities that remain painful when touched.
The image is of exposed nerve endings—without protective covering, any contact causes sharp discomfort.
Someone who hits a raw nerve or touches a raw nerve has raised a topic that triggers strong emotion: Mentioning her ex hit a raw nerve.
A person who is all raw nerves is in a state of heightened emotional sensitivity.
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
- exposedOut in open
- frayedUnraveled at edges
- jangledRang with harsh sound
- tensionStretched or strained state
on edge · pain · irritation · edgy · hair trigger · vulnerable · hypersensitive · sore spot · tender · open wound · inflamed · prickling · touchy · overwrought · bristling · stinging · reactive · fight or flight
- sensitivitieslight sensitivity, skin sensitivity, pain sensitivity, fragrance sensitivity, chemical sensitivity
- sensitivitysensitivity, sensitive, hypersensitivity, oversensitivity, hypersensitive
- emotional volatilitymood swings, lability, volatility, dysregulation, ups and downs
raw nervesthick skin
Immunity to criticism
emotional armor · imperviousness · callousness · toughness · emotional detachment
raw nervesnerves of steel
Exceptional calm under pressure
cool as a cucumber · equanimity · sang-froid · imperturbability · composure
raw, rawly, rawness, nerve, nerves, nerved, nerving, nervous, nervously