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Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) – Are you one?

Content from this page has been provided courtesy of the Nickerson Institute of Integrative Health Training…

Maybe you don’t know what an HSP is…

Or you’ve heard of it, and you’re wondering if you are one.

Research shows that 15-20% of the population is “highly sensitive,” meaning they have a trait called Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) – i.e., a more sensitive nervous system.

This means you pick up on subtleties in your environment and find deeper meaning in the information you process.

The good things about it are…

You have heightened intuition, imagination, creativity, and attention to detail.

The “downside” is that you can quickly become overwhelmed, making you more emotionally reactive than others. There are also correlations between SPS and certain mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and some personality disorders.

But keep in mind that SPS is a trait (NOT a mental health condition or disorder), so there is no diagnosis for it.

Do you think you have it?

I can provide you with a formal self-assessment, but here’s the gist of the main characteristics. How strongly would you agree or disagree with the following statements?

  • Noisy places often bother me.
  • I don’t like being where there are a lot of bright, flashing lights.
  • I feel what other people around me are feeling.
  • I prefer scent-free environments; there are many smells that are offensive to me.
  • I have a hard time watching violence in movies or TV.
  • My feelings get hurt easily.
  • I get overwhelmed if there’s too much going on in my life (too many activities, obligations, or deadlines).
  • I am easily startled.
  • I don’t like being in a cluttered space. I think better and feel better in a clear, open environment.
  • I crave being around animals and nature.
  • I worry about hurting other people’s feelings.
  • I don’t perform as well if someone is watching me.
  • I catch other people’s “bugs” (colds, flus) and have a lot of “sympathy pains.”
  • I need my own space and alone time. It’s essential for me to unplug from the world sometimes.
  • I consider myself to be a creative person.

If it’s not a disorder, why go to therapy?

If you identify with being an HSP, you probably know all too well the daily struggles of being overstimulated in a high-sensory environment: feeling emotionally overwhelmed, being affected by the emotions of others, and generally feeling like you don’t have control over your feelings or life.

These factors can affect your self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, boundaries, and identity (and I’m guessing that’s why you started Googling and found me). If your sensitivity has not been well-understood or supported by those around you, the result may have been anxiety, depression, or a personality disorder.

OR you just feel like life is more difficult than it should be. You may not meet the criteria for a mental health disorder, but this trait can affect your overall mental health and your outlook on life.

Let’s face it: Being highly sensitive can just be downright hard at times!

Here’s how counseling can help.

It can help you reframe painful experiences you carry from having the trait.

It can help you grow your confidence to set boundaries and advocate for yourself.

It can help you see your life from a totally different perspective.

And…

If you are a HSP and also have a mental health disorder, you need a therapist who understands your particular mental health condition within the context of being an HSP.

That’s where I come in!

EMDR can also help.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-researched, evidence-based therapy designed to help you reprocess traumatic events and other upsetting or distressing life experiences. Our brains naturally can recover from traumatic or upsetting experiences, but sometimes they need a little extra help to do that.

It’s different from other forms of therapy in that it doesn’t involve talking about your trauma in great detail or completing homework in between sessions. In traditional talk therapy, you are essentially using one part of your brain (your prefrontal cortex) to process information and gain insight. Don’t get me wrong: This experience is very important!

But EMDR engages other parts of your brain (amygdala, hippocampus, AND prefrontal cortex) to make progress more quickly and more deeply. Most clients report more progress in less time than other traditional therapy methods.

EMDR can help people with a wide variety of issues. I use it in my practice specifically for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other trauma-related issues.

You have probably read that I do all my sessions virtually. And you’re probably wondering how in the heck all of this happens over a computer. It does. EMDR is easily adapted for the virtual environment, and I’ve had a ton of success doing it this way.

Take care of yourself for a change.

Give me a call for a free 20-minute consultation: (970) 599-1539.