The highly sensitive person (HSP) is a reality! HSPs make up about 20 per cent of the population. Sensitivity is basically a neural trait and being sensitive means you have a sensitive nervous system. This means that as an HSP you are more aware of subtle things around you and you will be on guard for potential "danger". For example, dark clouds or slippery pavements. Your nervous system will be easily overwhelmed if you are out for too long in a highly stimulating environment. Being bombarded by sights and sounds leaves you exhausted in a nervous system sort of way.
Being sensitive has both advantages and disadvantages; in some societies, being sensitive is highly esteemed. In Western culture however, being sensitive is not considered ideal, and parents and teachers will spend time trying to help you "overcome" it.
The HSP can feel out of step with the rest of the world, because they are in the minority. They are easily "hurt" or affronted when non-HSP people speak or interact with them in a way that the HSP would not. The HSP therefore cannot understand how others can be so direct, critical, or confrontative. Typically, the HSP will not challenge the interaction, but will withdraw and then dwell on the exchange that took place, trying to understand what went wrong, especially what did he do wrong, and why was the other person so nasty?
It is unlikely that the non-HSP will know that anything is "wrong". His nervous system is not impacted by conflict, confrontation, and raised voices and therefore he has no awareness that the HSP now has an aroused nervous system and is "hurting". This is the reason however, why the HSP calls him "insensitive" or mean.
While an HSP can be highly stimulated by loud music or crowds, and feel stressed, this won't usually happen to non-HSPs who find it just a normal experience. HSPs can "feel good" with a certain amount of stimuli, but these same stimuli can become overwhelming if there is "too much" or they go on for too long. Then the HSP needs to get away and calm down because he knows from experience that there is going to be another onslaught of stimuli tomorrow.
Most people walk into a room at a party and perhaps notice the furniture and the people and that's about it. HSP's can be instantly aware, whether they wish to be or not, of the mood, the friendships and hostilities between people, the freshness or staleness of the air. They will notice small things; threads on the rug, the curtain tied back untidily, the dust on the picture frame.
As an HSP you do not necessarily judge these things but you notice nonetheless. And your nervous system becomes overwhelmed because of all these things the brain has to be aware of . This is the reason the HSP becomes easily overwhelmed in new environments and feels anxiety even though the feeling is actually an overarousal of the nervous system.
Fear should not be confused with arousal. Typically, an HSP will feel arousal by subconscious thoughts or low level events but outwardly display no obvious emotion. Increasing levels of arousing chemicals felt in the body of an HSP will cause them to feel fearful, even though intellectually there is nothing to feel fearful about. This is often referred to by HSPs as an indication of their "craziness" - when their feelings are absolutely incongruous with their awareness or thoughts. - 20897
Being sensitive has both advantages and disadvantages; in some societies, being sensitive is highly esteemed. In Western culture however, being sensitive is not considered ideal, and parents and teachers will spend time trying to help you "overcome" it.
The HSP can feel out of step with the rest of the world, because they are in the minority. They are easily "hurt" or affronted when non-HSP people speak or interact with them in a way that the HSP would not. The HSP therefore cannot understand how others can be so direct, critical, or confrontative. Typically, the HSP will not challenge the interaction, but will withdraw and then dwell on the exchange that took place, trying to understand what went wrong, especially what did he do wrong, and why was the other person so nasty?
It is unlikely that the non-HSP will know that anything is "wrong". His nervous system is not impacted by conflict, confrontation, and raised voices and therefore he has no awareness that the HSP now has an aroused nervous system and is "hurting". This is the reason however, why the HSP calls him "insensitive" or mean.
While an HSP can be highly stimulated by loud music or crowds, and feel stressed, this won't usually happen to non-HSPs who find it just a normal experience. HSPs can "feel good" with a certain amount of stimuli, but these same stimuli can become overwhelming if there is "too much" or they go on for too long. Then the HSP needs to get away and calm down because he knows from experience that there is going to be another onslaught of stimuli tomorrow.
Most people walk into a room at a party and perhaps notice the furniture and the people and that's about it. HSP's can be instantly aware, whether they wish to be or not, of the mood, the friendships and hostilities between people, the freshness or staleness of the air. They will notice small things; threads on the rug, the curtain tied back untidily, the dust on the picture frame.
As an HSP you do not necessarily judge these things but you notice nonetheless. And your nervous system becomes overwhelmed because of all these things the brain has to be aware of . This is the reason the HSP becomes easily overwhelmed in new environments and feels anxiety even though the feeling is actually an overarousal of the nervous system.
Fear should not be confused with arousal. Typically, an HSP will feel arousal by subconscious thoughts or low level events but outwardly display no obvious emotion. Increasing levels of arousing chemicals felt in the body of an HSP will cause them to feel fearful, even though intellectually there is nothing to feel fearful about. This is often referred to by HSPs as an indication of their "craziness" - when their feelings are absolutely incongruous with their awareness or thoughts. - 20897
About the Author:
More expert advice on handling overarousal and understanding and taking control of your emotions is available from Karen Gosling's website, which is all about surviving sensitivity.
No comments:
Post a Comment