CHRNA4 and ADRA2B are associated with anxiety as people with the these genes become more nervous around uncertainty than people who may not have this gene (Kaufman. Dec 2012). CHRNA4 is called a "sensitivity gene" for it has been discovered that people who have this gene are more emotionally, physically sensitive than people who do not have the CHRNA4 and ADRA2B genes.
Genetics Home Reference states that the CHRNA4 gene assists with making the α4 subunit gene. CHRNA4 and ADRA2B also affect memory, and how neurotic someone is as the gene changes the acetylcholine system's (which helps to release dopamine) sensitivity, according to Scott B Kaufman.People with these genes have a better, stronger memory than someone who doesn't. Perhaps that is why we remember things that have hurt us more easily and more intensely? CHRNA4 affects the nervous system and this may be why people who have this gene are more sensitive to touch, sound, and taste than people who do not have it. Interestingly, according to Stephanie Castillo, people with the ADRA2B gene's amygdala has more activity than those who do not have the ADRA2B gene.
Some people who are insane may be more sensitive to pain both physically and mentally. Our sensory system is on overload and we feel sad about the smallest things, or break when someone touching us because we feel it stronger than someone else. We are told it's because we have BPD, or something else but in reality, it is because of our CHRNA4 and ADRA2B gene we have. The best way to understand our sensitivity is to understand ourselves, not be put on harmful pills, or try to change and get rid of it. Sensitivity is very helpful and it causes us to love so strongly, however, because dating "rules" society made up we are too much for a partner and society to handle. Society has these imaginary rules that we shouldn't love too much, or be too sensitive because it is "bad." Loving, and having strong emotions is not bad, it just is the way it is. Strong emotions can be too intense for us sometimes, but it is never "bad." We need to learn how to channel these strong emotions and not care what society says about texting too much, or loving deeply, or even hating deeply. We are allowed to feel our own emotions no matter how strong and intense those emotions may be.ADRA2B releases norepinephrine and if somebody has the gene they will be sensitive because their nervous system and sensory systems will be hypersensitive to the stimulus around them. People with the adra2b gene will be more sensitive to touching things, tasting a food, and observing the visuals around them (Khoo,N.Aug 6, 2016).the Psychiatry field feels the need to change highly sensitive people and label sensitivity as a defect that must be fixed. However, as Nina Khoo states, people who are highly sensitive are very empathetic (have a lot of empathy for others for non-believers of the existence of empaths) and have more self-awareness of their emotions than other people do.Since people with these genes have a better, stronger memory than someone who doesn't. so perhaps that is why we remember things that have hurt us more easily and more intensely?
It has been hypothesized that obese people are less sensitive to tasting food than thinner people, therefore they need more food to get the sensation and taste. Although this is assuming obese people eat a lot more than thinner people, we will use it as an example. Obese people, it has been considered, needs more of a food to be able to taste it and feel satisfied. Thinner people only need one cupcake to feel satisfied with its taste, texture, and sweetness but an obese person may need 3 or 4. Also, we must factor in the fact thin people eat a lot as well... so people who eat more foods may need those extra servings to taste the food fully. Although if you are obese and need more food than someone thinner that is okay too because some thin people eat a lot, too they just are not ostracized for doing so.
Perhaps the CHRN4 and ADRA2B genes effect why people love physical pain. For some people, they may be very sensitive to pain and enjoy it, but others may need more of a thrill and pain to feel any pain. Some studies claim some people have less of a pain threshold and have to have more things done to them to feel any pain, however, some people are sensitive but enjoy lots of pain. Maybe they are projecting their sensitivity onto physical pain. Moreover, they may enjoy pain more because of their sensitivity to emotional pain. Or, maybe they enjoy pain more because they are sensitive and love physical pain. Or, even maybe they need to push themselves as far as they can go, as stated before, to feel just a tiny amount of pain. This doesn't mean they have something "wrong" with them, it simply means their pain tolerance and threshold differ from someone else. If they subscribe to practicing BDSM they have found a safe way to do so.
These genes may also be the reason for violent behavior. If we are more sensitive to things around us, this explains sadness but it also has to explain violence as well. Sensitivity can lead to anger as well as sadness, loving deeply, and also hating deeply as stated earlier. Some people cry while others show their pain through dominance, power, control and with that, sometimes, violence. This does not excuse physical abuse, there are many numerous ways to release violence urges without harming anyone. Kickboxing, shadowboxing, and BDSM with consent are all useful ways to release your desires without abuse.
It is very interesting to see the psychiatry field and the weight control industry try to punish people with these unique genes in the name of normalcy. They banish the unique, and people who were born with intense emotions to be numbed and dumbed down on medicines and suppressing emotions to be seen as proper in society. My advice to you is to understand you were born with these genes and although it is difficult sometimes, work with them, instead of against them. Once you learn how to work with them, feeling sad and sensitive to the world around you will be your own normal.
Reference
Genetic Home Reference. (n.d.). CHRNA4 gene - Genetics Home Reference. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/CHRNA4#location
Kniffin, C. L., & McKusick, V. A. (2011, September 19). CHOLINERGIC RECEPTOR, NEURONAL NICOTINIC, ALPHA POLYPEPTIDE 4; CHRNA4. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.omim.org/entry/118504
Kaufman, S. B. (2012, December 17). New Sensitivity Gene Discovered. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.creativitypost.com/psychology/new_sensitivity_gene_discovered
Gene Cards. (n.d.). CHRNA2 Gene(Protein Coding). Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=CHRNA2
MGI. (n.d.). Chrna4 MGI Mouse Gene Detail - MGI:87888 - cholinergic receptor, nicotinic, alpha polypeptide 4. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.informatics.jax.org/marker/MGI:87888
NCBI. (n.d.). CHRNA4 cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 4 subunit [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene - NCBI. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/1137
ADRA2B
Khoo, N. (2017, March 02). How Science can help us see the Highly Sensitive Trait in a Positive Light. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://ninakhoo.com/2016/08/04/how-science-can-help-us-see-the-highly-sensitive-trait-in-a-positive-light/
Wikigenes. (n.d.). The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.wikigenes.org/e/gene/e/151.html
CALIPHO Team - SIB - Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. (n.d.). ADRA2B - Alpha-2B adrenergic receptor - Function. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.nextprot.org/entry/NX_P18089/function
Mammarella, N., Fairfield, B., Di Domenico, A., & Gatta, V. (2016). The modulating role of ADRA2B in emotional working memory: Attending the negative but remembering the positive [Abstract]. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory,(130), 129-134. doi:0.1016/j.nlm.2016.02.009
Westerfield, J. (2015, May 09). Are You a Highly Sensitive Person? You might have ADRA2b like me. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://judithwesterfield.com/2015/05/10/are-you-a-highly-sensitive-person-you-might-have-adra2b-like-me/
Castillo, S. (2015, May 08). The Highly Sensitive Person: Emotional Sensitivity May Stem From A Person's Genes, Enhancing The Way They See The World. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.medicaldaily.com/highly-sensitive-person-emotional-sensitivity-may-stem-persons-genes-enhancing-way-332550
Stokes, R. J. (2016, September 22). Why Highly Sensitive People Are Basically Superheroes. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.yourtango.com/2016295814/if-youre-overly-sensitive-youre-actually-amazing-study
Genetic Home Reference. (n.d.). CHRNA4 gene - Genetics Home Reference. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/CHRNA4#location
Kniffin, C. L., & McKusick, V. A. (2011, September 19). CHOLINERGIC RECEPTOR, NEURONAL NICOTINIC, ALPHA POLYPEPTIDE 4; CHRNA4. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.omim.org/entry/118504
Kaufman, S. B. (2012, December 17). New Sensitivity Gene Discovered. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.creativitypost.com/psychology/new_sensitivity_gene_discovered
Gene Cards. (n.d.). CHRNA2 Gene(Protein Coding). Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=CHRNA2
MGI. (n.d.). Chrna4 MGI Mouse Gene Detail - MGI:87888 - cholinergic receptor, nicotinic, alpha polypeptide 4. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.informatics.jax.org/marker/MGI:87888
NCBI. (n.d.). CHRNA4 cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 4 subunit [Homo sapiens (human)] - Gene - NCBI. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/1137
ADRA2B
Khoo, N. (2017, March 02). How Science can help us see the Highly Sensitive Trait in a Positive Light. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://ninakhoo.com/2016/08/04/how-science-can-help-us-see-the-highly-sensitive-trait-in-a-positive-light/
Wikigenes. (n.d.). The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.wikigenes.org/e/gene/e/151.html
CALIPHO Team - SIB - Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. (n.d.). ADRA2B - Alpha-2B adrenergic receptor - Function. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.nextprot.org/entry/NX_P18089/function
Mammarella, N., Fairfield, B., Di Domenico, A., & Gatta, V. (2016). The modulating role of ADRA2B in emotional working memory: Attending the negative but remembering the positive [Abstract]. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory,(130), 129-134. doi:0.1016/j.nlm.2016.02.009
Westerfield, J. (2015, May 09). Are You a Highly Sensitive Person? You might have ADRA2b like me. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://judithwesterfield.com/2015/05/10/are-you-a-highly-sensitive-person-you-might-have-adra2b-like-me/
Castillo, S. (2015, May 08). The Highly Sensitive Person: Emotional Sensitivity May Stem From A Person's Genes, Enhancing The Way They See The World. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.medicaldaily.com/highly-sensitive-person-emotional-sensitivity-may-stem-persons-genes-enhancing-way-332550
Stokes, R. J. (2016, September 22). Why Highly Sensitive People Are Basically Superheroes. Retrieved August 12, 2017, from http://www.yourtango.com/2016295814/if-youre-overly-sensitive-youre-actually-amazing-study