Re: Is anyone a highly sensitive person???

[Guest guest]

Hi Kelley,

Yes, I fit the description of highly sensitive. But, my nada and

fada were so insensitive that they didn't have a clue - lol! There

were times when I was accused of taking things too personally, but

other than that, my parents had no idea of how much pain I was in as

a child. And for the obvious things that cause children pain, they

didn't seem to care. My parents both had the idea that children

didn't have real feelings, and whatever was bothering a child, the

child got over and forgot about it very quickly.

It was my therapist who finally explained to me exactly how

sensitive I was. I have often thought that many KOs do fit the

profile of being highly sensitive.

I just posted recently about how I must take alone and quite time

for myself on a regular basis, otherwise I cannot deal with all the

emotional input I absorb. If you are HSP, it is very important to

take care of yourself, but since we are also KOs, we have to learn

at a late date how to do that.

Sylvia

>

> I was always labeled by my Nada as being withdrawn, painfully shy,

> introverted, drama queen, overly sensitive etc. She use to comment

> on how I noticed the slighted smell and almost started throwing up

> if it was awful. I began to see some of these same qualities in my

> child when I was first introduced to the concept of being a Highly

> Sensitive Person. Here are the characteristics associated with

being

> Highly Sensitive and I was wondering if other KO's also have these

> characteristics?

>

> You, have a heightened awareness of subtleties in your

environment,

> whether it's sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

>

> You can become stressed out and upset when overwhelmed and may

find

> it necessary to get away, maybe into a darkened room, to seek

> solitude, relief and comfort.

>

> You are very conscientious, hard working, and meticulous, but may

> become uncomfortable and less efficient or productive when being

> closely watched or scrutinized.

>

> You feel compelled to file and organize things and thoughts, also

> enjoy simplicity and may become overwhelmed or even immobilized by

> chaos, clutter, or stress.

>

> You are very uncomfortable when feeling things are getting out of

> your control.

>

> You get a sense of comfort and well being when around a lake,

river,

> stream, the ocean, or even a fountain.

>

> You experience mood swings, sometimes occurring almost instantly

and

> can also be affected by other people's moods, emotions and

problems.

>

> You have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual and may also

> frequently have vivid dreams, and possibly nightmares.

>

> You are very intuitive and you feel that you can usually sense if

> someone isn't telling the truth or if something else is wrong.

>

> You get concerned and worry about many things, and have also been

> told " you take things too personally. "

>

> You have had the experience of " cutting people out " of your life.

>

> You were considered quiet, introverted, timid, or shy as a child.

>

> Here are a few more to consider... Can be startled easily.

Cautious

> in new situations. May have trouble sleeping. Extra sensitive to

> pain. Don't like crowds. Avoids violent movies and TV shows. Has a

> deep respect and appreciation of nature, music and art.

>

> Do some, or many, of these statements ring true for you, your

> partner, or someone important in your life? If so, you or they may

> be a highly sensitive person or " HSP. "

>

> Kelley

>

[Guest guest]

Sylvia -- you wrote:

" I just posted recently about how I must take alone and quite time

for myself on a regular basis, otherwise I cannot deal with all the

emotional input I absorb. If you are HSP, it is very important to

take care of yourself, but since we are also KOs, we have to learn

at a late date how to do that. "

So glad you pointed that out! I've not seen that addressed much

here -- and I've always felt a little abnormal about my need to be

alone and not to have too much stimulation. Even down to the

telephone -- I HATE it. It's so obnoxious -- like a big noise

explosion.

That is so true! I have an aversion to crowds and lots of noise,

etc. I have always been repelled by the calls for volunteers and

the " need " to put on big auctions and carnivals when my kids were in

elementary school. I HATED being that busy --

And, aside from that, I need my alone time -- lots of it. I could

live alone, no problem. I still have good friends, and do enjoy

seeing them, but I don't thrive on lots of social contact, like some

personalities do. I admire that about them -- they seem to get more

done and be more connected, that's for sure!

To be alone with a book or watch a movie without interruption --

that's what I love to do. I'll even limit drinking at a party

because I want to be able to concentrate when I get home and go to

bed with a book. It must be that I'm highly sensitive, too.

-Kyla

[Guest guest]

Wow, this is an interesting one. Yes, I fit this description as well.

I also get regular migraines, and recently learned that the brains of

migraineurs are actually larger in the areas that registers pain,

touch, visual stimuli, etc.

Perhaps that's true to HS people as well. I do truly believe that some

people are capable of registering much finer gradations of stimuli

than others.

I could never understand why people loved bigged crowds, strobe

lights, neon, loud music, etc. Why did they need SO MUCH stimulus to

feel something? To me it was just all too, too much.

It's kind of a bad combo with a BPD parent. On the one hand, I think

people with BPD are also finely attuned to their emotions and stimuli

-- I remember, for example, my BPD bro always wore his clothes inside

out as a child, since the touch of seams on his skin drove him wild

with annoyance.

One the other hand, when it came to empathy with others, he was thick

as a brick. Spiritually, he was clothed in sandpaper.

And of course, I was always accused of " being too sensitive " if I

cried or something after he attacked me.

In fact, a friend just mentioned to me the other day that I was

" thin-skinned " and " took offense at things that others wouldn't

notice " . This has completely thrown me for a loop the past couple of

days, and I'm working up my nerve to talk to her about it.

One the one had, I know I'm thin-skinned. Both emotionally and even

quite literally -- I bruise like crazy. One the other, I'd hate to

think I was overly touchy, since my BPD bro and dad flew into a rage

at the slightest perceived insult. Also, I grew up in a house where

people quite deliberately and gleefully tried to wound me, which of

course puts you on hyper alert for evil intent in others.

Oh, these fleas.

On the positive side, that sensitivity has made me a good artist, and

is actually the best part of me as well.

Letty

>

> " I just posted recently about how I must take alone and quite time

> for myself on a regular basis, otherwise I cannot deal with all the

> emotional input I absorb. If you are HSP, it is very important to

> take care of yourself, but since we are also KOs, we have to learn

> at a late date how to do that. "

>

> So glad you pointed that out! I've not seen that addressed much

> here -- and I've always felt a little abnormal about my need to be

> alone and not to have too much stimulation. Even down to the

> telephone -- I HATE it. It's so obnoxious -- like a big noise

> explosion.

>

> That is so true! I have an aversion to crowds and lots of noise,

> etc. I have always been repelled by the calls for volunteers and

> the " need " to put on big auctions and carnivals when my kids were in

> elementary school. I HATED being that busy --

>

> And, aside from that, I need my alone time -- lots of it. I could

> live alone, no problem. I still have good friends, and do enjoy

> seeing them, but I don't thrive on lots of social contact, like some

> personalities do. I admire that about them -- they seem to get more

> done and be more connected, that's for sure!

>

> To be alone with a book or watch a movie without interruption --

> that's what I love to do. I'll even limit drinking at a party

> because I want to be able to concentrate when I get home and go to

> bed with a book. It must be that I'm highly sensitive, too.

>

> -Kyla

>

[Guest guest]

Whoa, that was just creepy. I am almost all of those things, minus

the dreams/nightmares!

Cheryl

>

> I was always labeled by my Nada as being withdrawn, painfully shy,

> introverted, drama queen, overly sensitive etc. She use to comment

> on how I noticed the slighted smell and almost started throwing up

> if it was awful. I began to see some of these same qualities in my

> child when I was first introduced to the concept of being a Highly

> Sensitive Person. Here are the characteristics associated with

being

> Highly Sensitive and I was wondering if other KO's also have these

> characteristics?

>

> You, have a heightened awareness of subtleties in your environment,

> whether it's sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

>

> You can become stressed out and upset when overwhelmed and may find

> it necessary to get away, maybe into a darkened room, to seek

> solitude, relief and comfort.

>

> You are very conscientious, hard working, and meticulous, but may

> become uncomfortable and less efficient or productive when being

> closely watched or scrutinized.

>

> You feel compelled to file and organize things and thoughts, also

> enjoy simplicity and may become overwhelmed or even immobilized by

> chaos, clutter, or stress.

>

> You are very uncomfortable when feeling things are getting out of

> your control.

>

> You get a sense of comfort and well being when around a lake,

river,

> stream, the ocean, or even a fountain.

>

> You experience mood swings, sometimes occurring almost instantly

and

> can also be affected by other people's moods, emotions and

problems.

>

> You have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual and may also

> frequently have vivid dreams, and possibly nightmares.

>

> You are very intuitive and you feel that you can usually sense if

> someone isn't telling the truth or if something else is wrong.

>

> You get concerned and worry about many things, and have also been

> told " you take things too personally. "

>

> You have had the experience of " cutting people out " of your life.

>

> You were considered quiet, introverted, timid, or shy as a child.

>

> Here are a few more to consider... Can be startled easily. Cautious

> in new situations. May have trouble sleeping. Extra sensitive to

> pain. Don't like crowds. Avoids violent movies and TV shows. Has a

> deep respect and appreciation of nature, music and art.

>

> Do some, or many, of these statements ring true for you, your

> partner, or someone important in your life? If so, you or they may

> be a highly sensitive person or " HSP. "

>

> Kelley

>

[Guest guest]

Yeah, that's me in a nutshell.

Except for the following:

> Extra sensitive to pain.

I can withstand quite a bit of pain without showing any outward signs

of distress. Probably a result of undergoing painful medical

procedures as a child and a reaction to my nada's attention-seeking

reaction to pain. She wails and cries like a child.

> Don't like crowds.

I don't really mind crowds too much, as long as I can get where I'm going.

> Avoids violent movies and TV shows.

Heh, not me. I like Quentin Tarrantino movies. However, I don't like

watching real violence on TV, like news footage of horrible events

where people were killed. That sort of thing can make me cry.

qwerty

>

> I was always labeled by my Nada as being withdrawn, painfully shy,

> introverted, drama queen, overly sensitive etc. She use to comment

> on how I noticed the slighted smell and almost started throwing up

> if it was awful. I began to see some of these same qualities in my

> child when I was first introduced to the concept of being a Highly

> Sensitive Person. Here are the characteristics associated with being

> Highly Sensitive and I was wondering if other KO's also have these

> characteristics?

>

> You, have a heightened awareness of subtleties in your environment,

> whether it's sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

>

> You can become stressed out and upset when overwhelmed and may find

> it necessary to get away, maybe into a darkened room, to seek

> solitude, relief and comfort.

>

> You are very conscientious, hard working, and meticulous, but may

> become uncomfortable and less efficient or productive when being

> closely watched or scrutinized.

>

> You feel compelled to file and organize things and thoughts, also

> enjoy simplicity and may become overwhelmed or even immobilized by

> chaos, clutter, or stress.

>

> You are very uncomfortable when feeling things are getting out of

> your control.

>

> You get a sense of comfort and well being when around a lake, river,

> stream, the ocean, or even a fountain.

>

> You experience mood swings, sometimes occurring almost instantly and

> can also be affected by other people's moods, emotions and problems.

>

> You have a deep, rich, inner life, are very spiritual and may also

> frequently have vivid dreams, and possibly nightmares.

>

> You are very intuitive and you feel that you can usually sense if

> someone isn't telling the truth or if something else is wrong.

>

> You get concerned and worry about many things, and have also been

> told " you take things too personally. "

>

> You have had the experience of " cutting people out " of your life.

>

> You were considered quiet, introverted, timid, or shy as a child.

>

> Here are a few more to consider... Can be startled easily. Cautious

> in new situations. May have trouble sleeping. Extra sensitive to

> pain. Don't like crowds. Avoids violent movies and TV shows. Has a

> deep respect and appreciation of nature, music and art.

>

> Do some, or many, of these statements ring true for you, your

> partner, or someone important in your life? If so, you or they may

> be a highly sensitive person or " HSP. "

>

> Kelley

>