The Highly Sensitive Person

[[ma...]]

Anyone else an HSP like me? I read Elaine Aron's "The Highly Sensitive Person" back in highschool, recommended by my therapist and could finally put a name to what I was. It's nice to know that there are others out there who are similar to me. Although the benzo ordeal has made me stronger...it's definitely heightened my sensitivities even more...at least for now. 

[[me...]]

Yes, I definitely qualify.  It's a double edged sword, that's for sure.  On the one hand, I became a successful artist in my early 20's, even making a living selling my paintings for quite a while.  On the other, I've suffered from anxiety, social anxiety, and depression.  But, like you, I now know that I'm a very strong person (one can be strong AND sensitive) having gone through benzo withdrawal/healing for the last two years!

 

[[pr...]]

i've been a highly sensitive person for a long time now. although in my teens i don't think i was sensitive to all the chemical and smells.  it's mostly from the benzo's.

 

i can smell odor's and fragrance's from miles away that people cannot detect. and there is this frequency beep type of sound that i know is really far away -- i also know that no one else would be able to hear it -- not only do i hear this frequency i can feel it's vibration.

 

and all sorts of other thing in feeling peoples energy and vibration. that's why i think this hummingbird actually stop and flew to the ground and had a connection with me for 15 minutes. i am pretty sure the hummingbird sensed that i would not hurt him/her.

 

i should read that book by Elaine Aron's.

 

and even back as a teen i hate to admit it but i was pretty shy and also suffered from social anxiety and depression and always felt too sensitive for all the regular folk just going on about their lives. i am also an artist. singer/songwriter.

 

there are some things i like being ultra sensitive about -- and there are lot's of other things that i don't like about it.

[[ma...]]

Yeah, it definitely is a double edged sword. Like you guys, being sensitive has made me creative and very attuned to the arts and beauty in life. I'm also hyper aware of other peoples emotions and I take relationships very seriously. I've always been this way. The thing I don't like about it is my predisposition to anxious thoughts and self consciousness.

[[Be...]]

I was always sensitive and so much so now, I can't function around others.

[[pr...]]

Yeah, it definitely is a double edged sword. Like you guys, being sensitive has made me creative and very attuned to the arts and beauty in life. I'm also hyper aware of other peoples emotions and I take relationships very seriously. I've always been this way. The thing I don't like about it is my predisposition to anxious thoughts and self consciousness.

 

i am exactly the same way both with the arts and creativty and relationships. for instance, today at the grocery store i feel that no one really was listening to me.

 

okay, here's how it went:

 

i was looking at the cultured foods and one of the girl workers who had the most pungent BO i couldn't believe it for some reason said to me 'that cultured food is really good" and then i got to talking about culture starters and she said something like 'you don't really need to use a culture starter'. and i said 'oh, you don't?" and normally that would imply that i don't really know how to do it otherwise and won't you 'please explain' -- she said nothing and just smiled. so i said 3 more times "you don't need to use culture starters" and then i asked directly "how do you do it" and she just smiled and said nothing. so bizarre.

 

and then the nut bulk guy -- i told him that i contacted the nut people directly about what was up with the raw organic macadamia nuts. i told him everything. there was no not telling him directly everything and he went on about the raw organic macadamia nuts as if i never said a word about it. he just didn't hear me. it was again -- bizarre. i feel like an alien sometimes.

[[ti...]]

I am an HSP too.  And a zillion times more so since w/d.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a state where all HSP's could go where we would not have to feel like aliens? 

[[ma...]]

prettydaisys- That's hilarious! Was that at whole foods? I had a weird conversation the other day with a worker there too about non gluten free bread being in the gluten free section...I felt like an alien as well lol!

 

tinfoilkathy- That would be great!

[Guest [Ti...]]

Yep that would be me! Since day 1!

[[pr...]]

prettydaisys- That's hilarious! Was that at whole foods? I had a weird conversation the other day with a worker there too about non gluten free bread being in the gluten free section...I felt like an alien as well lol!

 

 

i'm laughing right now. do you know that i've never ever written "LOL" ooops just did, kidding. i can't i won't. but you made me laugh. that would be a conversation i could get into at Whole Foods - non gluten free bread being in the gluten free section - hilarious.

 

no, my non listeners were at Lassen's. Whole Foods is a little too far for me right now so i've been going to Lassen's ever heard of it? i feel like singing that Chicago song but changing up the lyric to "does anybody really ever listen anymore? - summer time - does anybody really care" ...

[[ma...]]

hahaha! glad I could make you laugh. No, we don't have Lassen's here in the bay area. I just looked it up, looks like a cool store.

[[Be...]]

I am an HSP too.  And a zillion times more so since w/d.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a state where all HSP's could go where we would not have to feel like aliens?

 

It's unbelievable how sensitive I am now.  This is over-the-top highly sensitive. Everything makes me jump.  I walk around so sensitive to stuff now, I can't even function. 

[[ma...]]

I think that one day we will all get back to our pre-benzo sensitive selves....I can already feel myself getting there more and more everyday. Until then we have each other for support and understanding. 

[[me...]]

Anyone else an HSP like me?

 

 

yes

[[Ja...]]

I am definitely an HSP. I have the book, but only read parts of it. I've been super sensitive all my life, but learned to deal with alot of it, just like normal anxiety. But now it's magnified 100x. It really feels like I am one raw nerve ending, that's for sure.

 

Since I am still in severe withdrawal, I'm hoping I will get back to normal(for me) if all these sx ever straighten out and I feel like a real person again. It really feels horrible to live this way.

 

                              Jadetortoise

[[Ga...]]

Ive always been hsp. but this is over the top

its not normal.

i hate being too sensitive. it kept me from alot.

i wish i was tougher.

 

[[Bl...]]

Yep count me in. Artist. Can't work at the moment though. In a bad wave. Yes at the moment my sensitivity is very high indeed.

[[Fa...]]

Unfortunately, many HSP and Empaths end up on psych meds.  I can see this happening more and more.  There was/is nothing wrong with being highly sensitive/empathic.  It's an ability and not a weakness or defect.  Society is not designed for those who are sensitive, or at least it has not been up until now.  In need of an overdue paradigm shift because more and more will be experiencing life through this lens, and we don't want those to be drugged and numbed.  

Edited August 24 by [Fa...]