"You're so sensitive!!"
Sound familiar?
Probably my biggest category with sensitivity involves "Sensory Issues". My parents, sister and friends can all attest through years to my "oddities". And then both my boys have "issues" as well.
Anyone in your life.....
- Startle easily?
- Get overwhelmed with too much to do at once?
- React to scents/foods/sounds/temperature?
- Work hard to avoid mistakes or forgetting things?
- React strongly to hunger?
- Bright lights bother them?
- Other people's moods affect them?
- Like to keep things organized?
- Avoid stressful people/situations?
I could go on. If you are living with this type of person, did you know this is innate and can't be changed? They aren't trying to be high-maintenance? 15-20% of people have this. It is not new, but often misunderstood.
Here is a quick self-test. A score of 14 indicates HSP. I scored 26. Holt had a 15, but I suspect it should have been higher. lol
UPDATE: Andy took it and scored a 14. I think we have an entire family of HSP's.
UPDATE: Andy took it and scored a 14. I think we have an entire family of HSP's.
What to do if you have a HSP in your life? Be understanding. Try to limit the annoyed reactions. If you've noticed, when our triggers are reduced, we are very enjoyable! Our gifts of being so sensory perceptive actually come in handy when not overwhelming us.
Here is another helpful link:
Highly Sensitive People
Here is another helpful link:
Highly Sensitive People
2 books I recommend - The Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Person In Love by Elaine Aron, PhD, and both have been very helpful in giving ideas on how to live harmoniously with folks who don't share this trait.
Just another one of our gifts!
I scored an 8 and took the child's test for my daughter and scored a 9. I haven't had hubs take it yet, but I have a strong feeling that his score might be considerably higher! LOL
ReplyDeleteI've always felt that I was a tad intuitive to other people's thoughts and feelings and consider myself "sensitive" in that way. But I guess I've always been more the type who takes over in a crisis and remains grounded when things get really chaotic. I crash later.
I don't know if that's evolved out of necessity or just why I'm that way, but I've begun to start looking into that in therapy recently. My psych doc feels that I tend to take on too much for others so that they don't get hurt or negatively affected by a situation. (Yes, we're discussing "control issues"!LOL)
Really intersting pist and tests. Definitely have to have hubs take it! Thanks for posting the links! Blessings and Peace, Martha