On days when I am introduced to new thoughts or concepts, I’m a happy camper. Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks? That’s one of the beauties of continuing to work in a school. There literally is not a day that passes that I don’t learn something new. I always joked that given my druthers I would become on of those perpetual students who stay in college forever. Though not currently formally matriculating at a university, daily life has become my classroom.
But, today, by total serendipity, I was introduced to a psychological area of knowledge and study that has a label: highly sensitive people, or HSPs. As background, I had reacted internally to an e-mail I perceived as criticism regarding something I had written. I should say over-reacted—the story of my life! Intellectually I know not to take things personally, especially if the persons pushing my buttons are micromanagers or controlling by nature. I’ve worked hard to compensate for my over-reactions.
In recounting the story to a friend, she mentioned that she was an HSP, or highly sensitive person and she knew that I was probably in the same category. This is a well-educated woman who does not dabble in pop psychology. It seems that a scholar named Elaine Aron published a book in 1996 called “The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You.” Now there are many scholars, therapists and coaches working in this area. I have long known I am overly sensitive as most creative people I know are; I’ve been that way since childhood. I always just say, “I was born with a crappy nervous system.” I’ve been shrunk to the nth degree over the years and have learned how to cope very successfully within the limitations of my nervous system and a tendency toward chronic depression. I know my DSM codes.
My friend mentioned articles from Psychology Today and there are several.
First I took Dr. Aron's test to see if I was a Highly Sensitive Person. I fall into the category—no surprise. I have a high need for being solitary, but I’m also a people person. Though an ENFJ on the Myers-Briggs, I pay a high price sometimes for being so extroverted. I react negatively to over-stimulation of my senses—sounds, smells, tastes, etc. I react in extremes to hot and cold and certain kinds of pain. I don't like noisy situations or loud noises. I do take things too personally. I can read people like a book sometimes long before they even know what they are feeling or hiding, just to name a few. (That trait has proved invaluable in professional life, but only as an observation.) I have spent a lifetime on the spiritual path and pursuing literature and art. I like recording dreams, journal writing, and “knowing myself.” I'm a people pleaser. These are all traits of HSPs. Sometimes it is comforting to have a label as I’ve largely perceived myself as “less than” without knowing that in my weaknesses lay some of my strengths.
My past work with CoDependents Anonymous has helped me enormously in my coping skills, and so have therapy and other kinds of group work. But, I suspect I am going to learn even more about myself in the days to come.
If anyone here takes the HSP test, would you categorize yourself as a highly sensitive person? Apparently there are newsletters, meet-ups and lots of studies and work being done. Tonight I will do some research on ProQuest to find articles and citations about Highly Sensitive People and hopefully scientific evidence to back up the term. In researching DSM codes quickly, it does not have a code.
So, I have a new awareness of some of my personality traits and hopefully, in Dr. Aron's book I checked out from the Palos Verdes Library, I'll discover some coping mechanisms I don't currently have.
While researching, I did find Dr. Aron on YouTube and what a sweet lady she is, but she's a highly sensitive person.
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