What does it mean to be Highly Sensitive?

Most frequent question:  Isn't everyone sensitive? Being sensitive means being understanding and aware which certainly most are capable of being. Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) means greater receptivity to external and internal stimulation as well as being more intuitive. Being neurotic is a state of being constantly anxious for no apparent reason. May HSPs have been labelled, or even self labelled, as neurotic. Let me assure you that there are plenty of reasons for an HSP to feel what is popularly called 'anxiety'. You are not neurotic!!

What is High Sensitivity? – Since the beginning of psychological research sensitivity has been lumped with shyness, anxiety, and neurosis….it was labelled a disorder, a deviation from normal and so it was a thing to be gotten over through counseling or drugs. 

·         Most of us have heard the judgments based on this belief:  cry baby, hypochondriac, spoilsport, wimp, neurotic, etc… in other words, because you are different from most “there is something wrong with YOU!” 

·         Thanks to Dr. Elaine Aron (a research psychologist and a sensitive) sensitivity is now seen as an inherited aspect, as normal and inheritable as eye color and it is present from birth.

·         So, if sensitivity is normal and inheritable, exactly what is it?  It is the simple fact that our central nervous systems are more finely tuned than 85% of the rest of the population.

 You might see it as the difference between a sturdy horse vs a thoroughbred race horse 

OR Tough every day dishes vs beautiful fine china

·         Having a sensitive nervous system means being more aware of subtleties in the environment - sorting things into finer distinctions just like those machines that grade fruit by size – we sort into ten sizes while others sort into two or three.

·         Sounds simple, yet, this heightened awareness effects and creates challenges in our relationships, career, and our inner life and certainly a majority of people in our country still do not understand or respect sensitivity.

Evidence of High Sensitivity / Finely Tuned Nervous System

• Frequently aware of subtleties in the environment.  (mood, light, smell…)
• Other people’s moods affect them.
• You tend to be very sensitive to pain.
• You may need to withdraw during busy days for privacy and relief from stimulation.
• You may be particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine, drugs and alcohol.
• Easily overwhelmed or startled by bright lights, strong smells, course fabrics, or sirens close by.
• You may notice that you have a rich, complex inner life.
• Deeply moved by the arts, music and/or spirituality.
• Conscientious, careful, reliable.
•  Get rattled when there is a lot to do in a short amount of time.
• Tend to know what others need to be more comfortable (like changing the lighting, temperature, etc.)
• Generally inclined to avoid roller coasters, sky diving, violent movies and TV shows.
• Hunger and thirst creates a strong reaction, disrupting concentration or mood.
• You tend to get pleasure from delicate scents, tastes, sounds, texture, etc.
• When observed while performing a task you become nervous and do much worse than normal.
• Parents, friends and/or teachers may have labeled you as sensitive or shy.
• You may have wondered if there is something wrong with you because you feel different from 90% of the population.

Who is Highly Sensitive?  According to research about 15 people out of 100 - are highly sensitive. Then 45% are sort of sensitive and around 40% are not sensitive at all.  So 85% of the population has little to NO IDEA what it’s like to live as a highly sensitive person!  Think about that.  Often a sensitive will work so hard to be known and understood…yet asking the less sensitive to understand and accept who you are is like asking a fish to climb a tree or a turtle to fly. They can’t climb or fly and those who are less sensitive will not ‘get’ your sensitivity.  In some ways that is a relief – you (we) can stop trying!  There is only one person that needs to truly understand and get it and be at peace with it – the sensitive person!

It is important to note that there are 2 Kinds of Sensitivity

• Physical – This sensitivity effects how you experience light, noise, movement, touch, physical sensations (needles/tags!)
• Emotional – (mirror neurons) This sensitivity effects how you experience people, emotions, thoughts, illnesses, etc.

What do you do now if you have discovered that you are a highly sensitive person?  Call Marie Maguire at:  425.466.1476 to learn more about thriving in this highly stimulating world. Or email me at MarieatNorthwestHtdotcom to set up a FREE one hour consultation.