HIGHLY SENSITIVE – a blessing or a curse?

Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) is often misunderstood – and I want to set the record straight – about what we are, and what we are not.

Also known as sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), these highly sensitive traits are designed as a survival strategy – paying attention to the details, soaking up the environment and adapting. They are not always necessary in every situation, and can lead to unnecessary exhaustion. But sometimes, being highly sensitive is a great gift, allowing us to see and feel and understand what others don’t and to guide those around us.

Hi there, my fellow HSPs and those who know and love them!

I hope this article helps you to understand yourself and your loved ones a little better.

And gain some insights into how we can help ourselves live less reactive lives.

Being highly sensitive is not just about being emotional!

The key to HSPs is depth of processing information and its meaning. It comes across as overly emotional, because this level of processing is exhausting and often results in our nervous systems becoming overwhelmed.

This is easily misunderstood as a weakness in our society. Instead of being highly valued for our ability to see things others don’t, we are often shamed for being “other” purely because people see the reaction on the surface and not the depth underneath. HSPs are susceptible and open, not weak.

NB. Flick to the end for Tips and Tricks for HSPs and a SPECIAL OFFER!

HSPs receive more sensory inputs than others

Highly sensitive people are affected by loud noises, bright lights, strong smells, scratchy fabrics, others’ moods and negative energy. Especially if you combine two or more of these things, or are asked to do too many tasks at once or are observed doing tasks. We become overstimulated as our sensory processing is taking on all the subtleties!

But that is just the negative side! HSPs are also very lucky. We are strongly attuned to beauty, seeing it and feeling it more deeply.

You may wonder if SPS is related to ADHD, given the sensory issues, however they are quite different. Where the brain in ADHD is less active in areas of self-regulation, attention and inhibition, HSPs have greater brain activation in those areas. However that doesn’t mean they can’t occur together. And just to be clear, SPS is also not sensory processing disorder, a more severe condition, that does not include the traits of empathy or depth of processing.

Empathy is a huge component of being a HSP

Everyone has mirror neurons allowing us to know how others feel or their intentions by looking at their face. HSPs don’t just know how someone feels, we actually feel that way ourselves. This is because the mirror neurons are more active and there is more brain activation in HSPs, creating a very strong sense of empathy. And this works even more for positive emotions. For negative emotions, the brain in activated towards a desire to help or act.

We know that emotions help all of us to store memories and learn from our successes and mistakes. So it makes sense then, that HSPs are able to process and learn deeply in part due to stronger emotions.

NB. Flick to the end for Tips and Tricks for HSPs and a SPECIAL OFFER!

Brain scans show a much higher rate of processing stimuli

Studies show that HSPs respond more intensely to emotional stimuli – shown in self rated tests and in brain scans. We feel things more deeply, both positive and negative. What this means is, HSPs can suffer more in bad environments or situations, but can also do especially well in good ones. This is known as differential susceptibility. And it also means we are more affected by our childhoods, whether they were good or not so good.

An insecure childhood for an HSP can lead to a more stressful adult life – expecting the worst – at least until we’ve learnt better coping strategies.

For HSPs with childhoods where they felt loved, respected and heard, it is easier for them to calibrate within a functioning society as an adult.

But if you had a challenging upbringing, it’s not all bad news. In fact, it may have prepared you if things become difficult again. A study on Syrian refugee children showed that the HSP kids with fewer childhood adversities before the war, had a higher rate of PTSD, because they were less prepared for the difficulties they experienced.

We make up 20-30% of the population and are in over 100 other species

SPS is a basic survival trait that allows us to notice threats and opportunities that others miss, based on how deeply we process the stimuli around us. Most animals also have around 20% that are highly sensitive.

As with most neurodiversity, there is a spectrum, and many studies of highly sensitive people compared those who ranked high on the HSP scale with those in the lower third. Around 50% of people are “medium sensitive”, while around 25% have low sensitivity, processing and empathy (and may be the ones we HSPs struggle with the most).

NB. Flick to the end for Tips and Tricks for HSPs and a SPECIAL OFFER!

We are easily overwhelmed by external stimuli but we can learn to manage that

While it’s true HSPs are more deeply affected by their environments, it also leads to them having better outcomes from good therapy and supportive treatments. More studies show that HSPs are able to learn new coping skills faster and more effectively than others, if given the right support and guidance. They are able to heal well from past traumas and have better outcomes than non HSPs – but it does depend on the level of care they receive to do that.

Stress is the predictor of illness, not HSP

HSPs are more easily stressed, and as we know, stress is the greatest predictor of disease. So, while HSPs are not more prone to getting sick than any other group, they are more susceptible to stress which can lead to illness!

Being constantly over stimulated without stress relief, is often the cause for HSPs developing negative traits. Higher rates of depression and anxiety are reported in those who don’t know they are highly sensitive, and may have always felt there is something wrong with them.

Calming our nervous systems is key

Conversely, learning to calm our nervous systems and practice mindfulness and acceptance, can really help HSPs. In this group of individuals, there is not significantly more anxiety than in others.

However, our ability to regulate our nervous systems is correlated to who we were surrounded with as children. Were we shown how to accept big feelings? Was anyone there to comfort us? Were these skills shown to us by others coping with their own emotions?

HSPs tend to feel less acceptance and more shame about their feelings, assuming they won’t be able to cope, perhaps because they haven’t been shown otherwise and can often feel alone and different in a non-HSP world.

HSPs are highly susceptible to positive interventions, and these coping skills can be learned. As HSPs, we observe our self and others deeply, so we are well placed to decide what’s right for us and learn what works!

Tools and tips for HSPs!

• Reduce overwhelm by taking time out to process – a quick meditation or nap helps enormously!
• Set boundaries with your loved ones to ensure you can complete one task at a time, without distractions or noises while you’re concentrating
• When listening to friends sharing their emotions, focus on your body by touching your own hands or scrunching your toes and remind yourself the emotions don’t belong to you
• If you had adverse events in your life, seek some professional counselling, as HSPs respond well to positive interventions
• Remember you possess a gift in being able to see and feel things other’s can’t – find like minded souls who understand and respect this about you
• Find stress management techniques that work for you, such as time in nature grounding, and incorporate them into your daily life
• For more support on your journey, please BOOK A CONSULT and allow me to help guide you onto your healing path – FREE FOLLOW UP IF YOU BOOK BEFORE 9/9/24
  

For more information on how to manage stress and sensitivity you can check out these blogs:

• What is Holistic Clinical Nutrition?
• Empaths and self-care
• Healing your whole self
• My personal journey with sensitivity
• Toxic chemicals to avoid especially if you’re sensitive

And get in touch to BOOK a FREE discovery call or holistic nutrition consult. My specialty is sensitivity and as a HSP, I highly value guiding others to find what works best for them.

Until 9/9/24, you can book an Initial Consult and receive a COMPLIMENTARY Follow Up Consult! Value your self and your health and begin your journey in self care and solutions for your sensitivity.