As a highly sensitive person myself, I understand all too well how challenging it can be to deal with in the stimulating, emotionally charged world that we find ourselves in today. Overwhelm and anxiety can be easily triggered and life can quickly feel like an ordeal. But I have found that rather than just learning to live with this innate ability, it is possible to come to terms with it and turn it into a virtue that can help enrich and enliven your experience in ways that you may not have thought possible.
What is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?
They are people who seem to have a heightened sensitivity to certain common stimuli that we all come across in our daily lives, both physical and emotional. Examples of which include::
- Other people’s emotions
- Emotionally charged films and TV shows
- Bright light, strong smells and loud noises
- Busy streets or shops etc.
- Stress in life in general
Their heightened sensitivity to these stimuli can easily lead to overwhelm and anxiety which leads a lot of HSP to spend a lot of time alone and to avoid certain situations that they feel may trigger unpleasant emotions for them.
Why are these people so sensitive?
Medical science has yet to reach any firm conclusions on this, but from my experience, I feel that it is more of a spiritual reason that causes this phenomena. The HSP is more spiritually aware than the majority, and is therefore more in touch with themselves and people and the world at large and all its problems etc.
This “extra” awareness means that a HSP, can perceive people and the world very differently to somebody who is not quite as sensitive and can’t see and feel all of what the HSP can. The HSP is getting a lot more information about the world, and can therefore draw more conclusions about injustices and suffering and the role we are all playing in that etc.
It is the reaction or the way the HSP person deals with this awareness and information that turns it into a negative though. Because we are not taught how to deal with emotional overload, it is easy to become overwhelmed by our ability to feel everyone else’s emotions, or to see bigger picture injustices around the world and feel helpless as to how to change the situation for the better. This overwhelm and anxiety then leads us to react to other things in this way, like the more physical stimuli, such as bright lights and loud noises.
But the important point is, that the awareness itself, is not a bad thing, it is really a virtue that you can use to your and everyone else's advantage, once you can learn to deal with the emotions and process all of the information that you are receiving.
How to use your increased awareness to your advantage
As explained above, it is our reaction and interpretation of the information that is causing the anxiety and unpleasantness, therefore if we adapt our reaction and and try to deal with this information overload in a different way, then it will change our overall experience:
- Start to try to accept your emotions, good and bad, and don’t push the ones away that you don’t like. Once you listen and allow all emotions, the bad ones start to fade.
- Start to accept the conclusions that you draw from the information, for example: “Yes there is a lot of suffering and injustice in the world”. Once you have accepted this, you are in a far better place to do something positive towards helping, i.e. when you are not dwelling on how bad things are. Just be aware, but don’t dwell.
- Take time for yourself each day to create some calmness and space to process your experiences and deal with any lingering emotions.
- Start to choose things to do that interest and excite you, rather than focusing on avoiding situations that may trigger negative emotions.
- If you are sensitive to others emotions, practice accepting, but not taking responsibility for their suffering/anxieties. The best way you can help someone is by being the example of how to be a happy, healthy, caring person, not dwelling with them on their insecurities.
So although it may feel now like a burden to you, being highly sensitive can actually be a bridge to an elevated understanding and perspective of yourself and others, and how to make the world a more peaceful, compassionate and enjoyable place to live.
Best Wishes
Jack