aboynamedmike Posted August 18, 2009 Posted August 18, 2009 So I was just reading about highly sensitive people and I displayed nearly every one of the descriptions. -You, your partner, or someone important to you have a heightened awareness of subtleties in your environment, whether it's sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.(I have a really sensitive sense of smell) -You may experience mood swings, sometimes occurring almost instantly and can also be affected by other people's moods, emotions and problems.(I used to think I was bi-polar because one minute I would be happy and the next I would be pissed off about something) You have had the experience of "cutting people out" of your life.(When I don't get along with someone, I do "cut them out" of my life. I'm currently trying to do this with my ex...) -You have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual, and may also have vivid dreams.(I have dreams almost every night which I remember, I am very sophisticated inside) I hate yelling, loud noises, and bright lights too. I feel like this is going to be trouble for me later in life...anyone feel this way?
Eve Posted August 18, 2009 Posted August 18, 2009 Yeah, yeah. I think that many seemingly subtle attributes can be used negatively and within a form of manipulation. Its always far more interesting to see why people claim to be as they are... Take care, Eve xx
Phateless Posted August 18, 2009 Posted August 18, 2009 Good post. There are times when I feel that way about myself but I attribute it more than anything else to lingering insecurity from my past relationship. I'm working on being more stable/self sufficient and letting things roll off my back more easily.
Rudderless Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 Yes it can be a little tricky to cope with as it can be a little overwhelming at times. But it doesn't really have to be that much of a difficulty, and once you've learned to accept your little quirks you'll be fine. However, don't forget the gift that's been given to you to appreciate things a little deeper than the next person. You can turn this to your advantage in many areas of your life and people will become attracted to your for your heightened ability to observe things that they wouldn't think about in a million years.
Tayla Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 Strange that its called highly sensitive. I call it being intuitive and aware of ones surroundings. Not anything to think negatively of. Granted the attitudes of others can influence things yet overall once someone gains the intuitiveness its an asset not a deficit. We are not so much an island that we disassociate either .....that would be anti-social- in ones own world. Burning bridges can sometimes be necessary if the person was of a negative influence. If someone consistantly disregards the healthy boundary that was set, then its time to set them straight and move on....No harm in that.
carhill Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 HSP is generally only a factor in relationships when and where a disparity in sensitivity between partners exists and, pointedly, where the gender norms are reversed, as was the case for my wife and I. I score towards the high range of HSP traits and she very little. Hence, our natural setpoints in our environment were/are very different. The word 'sensitivity' is used in the literal sense, like the description of a fine instrument of measurement, like a seismometer. The body and psyche are converting outside information into stronger impulses for the brain to process. With cognitive therapy, I was able to consciously divert the results of those impulses to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Essentially, I learned how to turn the volume down, but it can still be turned up as needed, so that gift of awareness is not lost. I've often mentioned that I'm rarely if ever surprised by anything, and that's true. I generally feel it before it happens, as events are already in motion, just not obviously. It did drive my wife nuts and probably had a lot to do with the demise of our marriage. People who don't experience the world in this way generally think it's bunk. That's OK. I don't have to live their lives either
Meaplus3 Posted August 22, 2009 Posted August 22, 2009 Strange that its called highly sensitive. I call it being intuitive and aware of ones surroundings. . This is a very good way to look at it Tayla. I have been called very intuitive and persceptive my whole life. I'n many ways those are very positive traits to have. But, when those perceptive thoughts and intutions.. start to interfer with your love relatiohships, then one needs assistance to turn it all down a notch and for a HSP, this is not always easy to do. As Carhill mentioned, CBT can be very helpful. Mea:)
nana yaw II Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 So I was just reading about highly sensitive people and I displayed nearly every one of the descriptions. -You, your partner, or someone important to you have a heightened awareness of subtleties in your environment, whether it's sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.(I have a really sensitive sense of smell) -You may experience mood swings, sometimes occurring almost instantly and can also be affected by other people's moods, emotions and problems.(I used to think I was bi-polar because one minute I would be happy and the next I would be pissed off about something) You have had the experience of "cutting people out" of your life.(When I don't get along with someone, I do "cut them out" of my life. I'm currently trying to do this with my ex...) -You have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual, and may also have vivid dreams.(I have dreams almost every night which I remember, I am very sophisticated inside) I hate yelling, loud noises, and bright lights too. I feel like this is going to be trouble for me later in life...anyone feel this way? lol... like most psychological concepts, this seems to me just to be the beliefs of psychologists, twisted into medical fact. why are any of these points wrong? Or is it because most psychologists think uptightness and conservatism are the emotionally healthy stances?
itsabigpond Posted September 8, 2009 Posted September 8, 2009 I think you could think about changing the way you think about this. I too am a very sensitive person and I found myself wondering if it was a good thing. But when I spoke to friends, I realised that people appreciated the fact that I was a sensitive person. It means that although my moods change a lot and I am sensitive to other things that are going on (changes in the weather, changes in other people's moods), I listen to people and care about them - and I pick up on the signs of when other people are feeling bad and try to help them. So, I decided to re-frame it - instead of thinking that being sensitive was a negative thing, I thought of it in a positive way. I would say that the only thing to watch out for is that you don't become a 'yes' person with it - someone who is afraid to say "no" incase you hurt the other person's feelings. You are unique and you have a great gift - people will like you for it. TinyClownFish __________________ ItsaBIGpond - my self improvement blog: http://itsabigpond.blogspot.com
Recommended Posts