Living Life As A Highly Sensitive Person

Mood Music: Sensitivity by Ralph Tresvant

I know at first glance of this title, a lot of people will assume that ‘Highly Sensitive’ means that a person is overly emotional and gets his or her feelings hurt easily.

This is not the correct definition, though it may sometimes be the case. High sensitivity means that a person perceives external stimuli in a way that is far more heightened than it is with the average person. External stimuli can be music, conversation, touch, light, colors, or anything that is exterior to a person. Many people may be highly sensitive, but have never heard the terminology before.

I found out that I am Highly Sensitive when I decided to Google exactly why so many things bothered me.

I found myself in situations where the very thought of interacting with people who have certain personalities and being around certain things were like nails on a chalk board.

I found an online survey http://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/ and truthfully answered ‘yes’ to almost every question.

Are you deeply affected by the arts? Can you notice little nuances in things and people around you? Do certain colors irritate you? Do you perceive chances in your surroundings others don’t?

Can you walk into a room and know exactly where to place things to make the room more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing? Do you have rich internal dialogue? If you answered ‘yes’ to all of the above, you may be a Highly Sensitive person.

High Sensitivity and Everyday

So what does High Sensitivity mean for me in my everyday life? It means that when I am around happy people I feel euphoric, but when I am around negativity I feel drained.

The color yellow on walls or a large surface area irritates me. I perceive and sometimes feel people’s emotions.

I can generally tell when a person is lying, happy, or sad no matter what he or she might say otherwise. In a large crowd, I can pick up nearly every person’s energy.

There are times where it gets to be too much and I have to escape for the purpose of my sanity. I see everything deeper than the surface and enjoy analyzing things.

Functioning Tips 

If all of this is the case for you all well, then you may ask how I function with the day to day. Well for starters, I have learned not to be fully alert at all times.

Alertness is like the volume button on a radio, you can either be fully alert, minimally alert, or not alert at all. In fairly positive situations, I turn my alertness higher than I would in negative situations.

I basically hang out in my head when the going gets too rough and create (I am a writer by the way, LOL). When I am at home though and not among the general public, I practice control over stimuli that aggravates me.

I don’t turn on the television or music that I am not actively listening to. I decorate with colors that are milder, and of course at home I can control the company I kept.

How to Take Care of Highly Sensitive Loved Ones 

The next question maybe how do you love or interact with a person you perceive to be highly sensitive? Well, the best thing you can do is become a more sensitive person yourself.

Train yourself to gauge facial expressions, pay attention to nuances in vocal pattern and behavior. If you notice that a person constantly makes excuses to leave a group or social situation don’t ask questions or follow behind them.

Don’t try to hang out, with a person during their lunch break, if you perceive a co-worker to be Highly Sensitive. We need time alone sometimes to replete our engery to be social for the rest of the working day.

Don’t be offended if this person doesn’t always want to hang out every weekend. if it is a friend or lover just be considerate and understanding of that.

Highly Sensitive people have a higher tolerance for positive people, because positive energy is restful; unlike negative energy that can feel truthfully restless. Therefore, try not to project negativity in the presence of Highly Sensitive people.

It is a process, but once you learn to practice being sensitive without being patronizing, a Highly Sensitive person will frequently leave their comfort zone to appeal to your needs. After all we are not heartless, just a little sensitive.

The Break Down

It sounds all negative, but in truth high sensitivity makes me a more compassionate person, because I can gauge minute changes in emotions and details.

Where others might not be able to notice if you got a haircut or if you are sad, I can immediately see the difference in your appearance and complement you or see your change in mood and ask what’s wrong.

I look at things a little deeper than most people and being highly analytical helps me in nearly everything I do.

If you or someone you love is living life as a Highly Sensitive person, know that it is a relatively normal thing and embrace the uniqueness.

Are you Highly Sensitive?

If so comment you story below 👇🏽