Do you suffer from high stress or anxiety, have high expectations of yourself and get overwhelmed a lot? Do you find it hard to balance everything in your life? Do you wish you felt calm and had more energy? You might be part of the 20% of the population that is highly sensitive, also called sensory processing sensitivity. Highly sensitive people (HSPs) have a more finely tuned nervous system, and therefore, overstimulation levels tend to be so high that just getting through the day can be a challenge as a sensitive person. This trait evolved as a survival strategy of the population and offers many gifts that are needed in the world, but the gifts are often buried underneath the challenges of living in a modern world not set up for the sensitive.
Some facts about the trait:
* Scientifically proven innate trait, not a disorder
* Found in over 100 species
* Equal in gender
* About 70% are introverts, 30% extroverts
Those with this trait:
* Have a more sensitive and activated nervous system.
* Experience more activation of the fight/flight/freeze response (contributing to higher stress levels and anxiety and cause or worsen chronic conditions).
* Have more activation in the insula, which is part of conscious awareness, meaning you take in more details and information than 80% of the population.
* Can read microexpressions and body language that 80% of the population miss.
* Have more activation of the brain mirror neurons, which makes you fire the same neurons as someone you are observing, creating increased empathy.
* Want to get things done right the first time.
Why it’s important to understand this trait:
* Your life and well being will get better if you understand why you are the way you are and how to support your sensitive system so you can reduce stress and anxiety.
* Everyone around you will benefit if you are in balance and healthier.
* You’ll have more energy, patience, and focus and feel more in control.
* You might be misdiagnosed. (Your medical and mental health professionals need to understand this trait in order to offer you the best care and prevent misdiagnosis.)
* You can learn ways to balance your overloaded nervous system, which can improve your overall health and well-being.
Online self-tests help determine if you might have this trait.
As a psychotherapist that specializes in this trait, I developed a sensitivity quiz: www.sensitive-empowerment.com.
Elaine Aron, PhD, also developed an HSP self-test.
What we know works to reduce anxiety for the highly sensitive person:
1. Learn all you can about this trait. I recommend visiting my website that is filled with education and resources for those with the trait: www.juliebjelland.com.
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2. Spend time with other highly sensitive people so you feel more understood and connected to people who experience the world like you do. It really helps normalize and validate your experiences. Sensitive Empowerment is a new online community that I founded and recommend joining. It offers a free trial to check it out: www.sensitive-empowerment.com.
3. Learn tools and techniques that help reduce overwhelm, overstimulation, and your brain’s alarm-bell response to an overstimulated nervous system.
Moving out of survival mode into sensitive empowerment is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you are truly thriving in the world, everyone benefits. What would your life look like if anxiety and high stress weren’t an obstacle? Who would benefit if you were thriving instead of surviving?
Julie Bjelland, LMFT
Julie Bjelland is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment. As a leader in the field of high sensitivity, Julie has helped thousands of highly sensitive people (HSPs) around the world reduce their challenges, access their gifts, and truly flourish and is on a mission to empower sensitive people to live their best lives. For more information visit: www.juliebjelland.com.
