Highly Sensitive People: Problems, Features, Benefits, and Research. What is hypersensitivity? They are more emotionally responsive
Sensitivity as a quality of a person is the ability to feel, express one's emotions, hear one's own voice of the soul, subtly capture the shades of the mood of others, understand and empathize with their feelings, perceive the beauty of the world, nature, works of art with piercing sharpness.
Once the great Teacher Abu Ali Ibn-Sina told his students about the need to be observant and vigilant in life. He said that the human senses can be trained in the same way as thought and muscles. - For example, you enter a room, and your sensitivity immediately captures the most important details. At that moment, the Master was informed that they had come to him and were asking him to come out. Ibn Sina said to his students: - Sit down, I'll be right back. And went to the visitors. The disciples decided to test their Master's sensitivity. Putting it under the mat on which he sat, Blank sheet papers, they eagerly awaited his return: would he feel any change? When Ibn Sina returned and sat down in his place, he immediately read some kind of conspiracy in the cunningly narrowed eyes of his students. Carefully examining his students, he said: - Probably, either I grew up, or the ceiling became lower ...
Sensitivity is the increased vulnerability of the heart. In physiology, it is interpreted as the ability to perceive irritations from the external environment and from one's own tissues. Human skin reacts to irritation caused by the activation of certain receptors. The main types of sensitivity: tactile, pain, temperature, muscular-articular, vibration. Depending on sensations, the brain receives the necessary information about the world around us. There is such an anecdote. The doctor checks the sensitivity. - Doctor, doctor! And why are you groping me? — I check if the sensitivity is preserved. — Do I have something? - I do not have. We are not interested in physiological sensitivity, but in stable, clearly manifested personality traits associated with vividly experienced impressions, with the perception of one's inner and outer world through the heart.
Sensitivity is the ability to know oneself. Women are six times more sensitive than men. Their mind is located in close proximity to the senses, while in men it is close to the mind. In this difference lies the secret of almost all the nuances of the relationship between the sexes. This is where many of the features of male and female behavior come from.
Male nature is responsibility, patronage and care for a woman and children. Coming into contact with the harsh realities of the outside world for most of the day, proving every day that he owes him money, a man sometimes becomes an insensitive idol. Sensitive stronger sex - sounds like nonsense, nonsense. But life does not like extremes. In order to perceive the world in all its rich palette of colors, a man also needs a certain amount of sensitivity. Who can help him learn to hear the voice of his own heart, to capture the nuances of a woman's mood, to express his feelings more emotionally? He himself cannot reproduce sensitivity in himself. Only a woman with her sensitive heart, softness, tenderness and flexibility can kindle a warming fire of sensitivity in him. Man and woman balance each other. A man protects a woman from excessive emotionality, and she protects him from coldness and lack of emotions. Women with extraordinary ease determine the mindset of men. He is still climbing the stairs, and the experienced wife already feels in what mood he is. Men, by and large, envy this ability. They realize that in order to solve many problems, they would not be hindered by a subtle feeling of the mood of their boss, partners, opponents or subordinates.
A man, if he has not learned to feel himself, runs the risk of becoming an object of manipulation, is in danger of doing not what he wants himself, but what the manipulators expect from him. There is such a parable. - Today is a terrible day. Everything, as if by agreement, makes me nervous, angry and annoyed, - one person said to another. - And do not say, - his familiar musician answered, - I have similar problems. Today, as luck would have it, everyone touches my violin. Because of this, she gets upset, after which it is impossible to play on her. “So why don’t you set it up properly and hide it in a case so that inept hands don’t upset it and make dissonant sounds that cut your sensitive hearing?” Don't you think that only you are to blame for this? Why do you let whoever cares to play your instrument? And if you don't like what they play, wouldn't it be better to hide it or play what you like yourself? - I see, dear friend, that you are well versed in music. So why don't you apply this knowledge to your "tool" yourself? Why don’t you properly set up your consciousness, take it into your own hands and start “playing” what you yourself like, instead of letting anyone “play” whatever they like on the sensitive strings of your soul? Why, instead of learning to play a song of love, patience and forgiveness, do you play a mourning march of resentment and a funeral march of anger? Don't you think that it's not the people who get on your nerves that are to blame, but you yourself? Know that you can choose whether to play yourself or let others play. The choice is yours!
Unlike sensibility, which sees and turns on lust, sensibility sees and simply feels with the heart. Sensitivity loves to talk about experiences and emotions, showing a sincere reaction to them. She does not need to practice eloquence. It is enough to look at her face and it immediately becomes clear that we are facing a person who knows how to deeply feel and empathize with the state of another. A sensitive person is usually benevolent, quiet, timid and touchy. He lacks energy, activity and initiative. Sensitive people rarely occupy leadership positions because they can be good performers, but when decisions need to be made under conditions of relative risk and accountability for these decisions, they most often fold.
Karamzin wrote: “A sensitive heart is a rich source of ideas: if reason and taste help it, then success is not in doubt and a celebrity awaits the writer.” A vivid example of a sensitive person was the great and unique landscape painter I.I. Levitan. Comrade Levitan, Mikhail Nesterov, in his book of memoirs "Old Days", recalled that the young Levitan, having waited for the last round of the school by the soldier Zemlyankin, nicknamed " Devilry”, remained alone to while away the night in warmth, remained a long winter evening and a long night so that in the morning, on an empty stomach, start the day with dreams of dearly beloved nature. A special, to the point of tears, love for nature and nervous sensitivity to its conditions were inherent in the future landscape painter from the very beginning. Relatives recalled how he early years he liked to wander through the fields and forests, contemplate any sunset or sunrise for a long time, and when spring came, “he was completely transformed and fussed, worried, he was drawn to the city, where he ran away every time he got at least half an hour for it.”
A.P. Chekhov wrote: “... Such amazing simplicity and clarity of motive, which he reached in recent times Levitan, no one reached him, and I don’t know if anyone will come after. The brilliant landscape painter died in 1900, at the time of flowering of his favorite phloxes. They were laid on his grave by young artists - those whom he taught to comprehend nature sensitively, deeply and penetratingly, so as to hear the "vegetation of grass."
Petr Kovalev 2013
Too sharp perception of everything that happens in a scientific way is called sensitivity. What does a portrait of a person with excessive sensitivity look like?
Such people are sensitive to others, trying to meet high moral standards. They are loyal to friends, sociable and know firsthand what empathy and compassion are. Despite the wonderful personal qualities, something makes psychologists put sensitivity on a par with hysteria and even schizoid reactions. Contrary to the now popular philosophy “he who is happy is right”, people of a sensitive type often put the happiness of others above their own, sacrifice interests ... and they themselves often break under the blows of fate.
Lena is 23 years old. All her relationships, be it friendship or love, end the same way. The people she trusts and helps betray her. They have common feature- these are people traumatized by life (or positioning themselves as such), embittered at the whole world because of a series of failures. Often they are not looking for a way out of deadlocks and crisis situations. In addition, they all tend to be addicted to alcohol, which cannot be said about Lena (although the girl now and then falls into love addiction, ignoring all the signs that the relationship is not going well).
I seem to be attracted to people who talk a lot about "personal crises" and how the only way to get out in the world is to commit meanness. I always sincerely feel sorry for such people, I want to prove to them that there is still a place for kindness in life. We begin to communicate, and I experience incredible pleasure from this relationship, as if this is the most interesting communication in my life. But for some reason, all these people who like to repeat that I changed their lives leave me to fend for myself as soon as I get into trouble.
In fact, Lena is disingenuous. Other people periodically appear in her life, successful, purposeful, motivated.
But I'm bored with them. They don't seem to have seen enough in this life, and I love deep conversations.
Alas, Lena confuses depth with the position of the victim. After all, everyone has to face crises, but there are those who at such moments direct all their efforts in search of a way out and quite rightly achieve happiness. There are others (which attract Lena so much) - they offer the girl to play the game "victim - savior", and when Lena has nothing more to offer her interlocutors, they leave her without burdening themselves with remorse.
Like all overly sensitive people, Lena literally “drowns” in thoughts about what is wrong with her and what should have been done in this or that situation.
I have one more problem. I love it when people notice my uniqueness, which is why I am so attracted to closed interlocutors who are not so easy to “talk to”. When they become mine best friends, it seems to prove my ability to communicate.
As the German psychologist Ernst Kretschmer noted, people with unhealthy sensitivity are shy from childhood, avoid risky ventures, and it is difficult for them to communicate with people they barely know. It seems that this is where the root of the problem is hidden (at least in the case of Lena). The girl is clearly trying to compensate for childhood fears by choosing difficult people as interlocutors. Returning to the theory, we can notice that often the parents of such children cannot get enough of: their children grow up obedient; they prefer a cozy evening at home with a book to noisy companies; study hard at school. This picture, which at first glance seems attractive, has back side- intimidation and indecision. Often these children do all the tasks of adults, not because of a growing interest in learning, but because of fear of punishment. According to Kretschmer, "extreme impressionability" and "a pronounced sense of one's own insufficiency" are most pronounced in people of the sensitive type at the age of 16-19.
Lilia grew up in a family where it was not customary to express emotions, talk about love for each other, thank, notice pleasant trifles. The girl recalls how her mother pushed her away when she tried to hug her. From the outside, Lilina's parents looked like a completely prosperous couple who worked to ensure that their daughter received a good education. Everything that Lily did was aimed at meeting parental expectations, because "it's necessary." Subsequently, the girl admitted that she terribly wanted to be loved, and for this she was ready to do everything. She sought appreciation and support not only from her parents, but also from her men. She herself did not understand why her sensitive, tender girl was so attracted to cold, indifferent, inaccessible men who alternated flowery words of love with much less beautiful deeds. Every time she was left abandoned to the mercy of fate, closed in a ring of difficult experiences, Lilia asked herself one question: “What do I need to change in myself in order to be loved?” Instead of loving herself and realizing her own worth, beauty, intelligence and charm, Lilia wasted her inner resources on meeting the ideas of others about how it should be. And now an obsequious expression appeared in her eyes, and her manner of carrying herself created a strange impression: “Do you like me? Everything is fine with me?"
According to a study by neuroscientists, 20% of the world's population has a tendency to hypersensitivity. On the genetic level this is due to a gene that affects the stress hormone norepinephrine, which is responsible for the severity of the reaction to what is happening. This is expressed in the fact that people of the sensitive type are acutely perceptive to stimuli that others consider subtle. How does this happen? Let's look at an example.
Olga is a ballerina known in narrow theatrical circles. When her part is passed to another dancer without explanation, Olga becomes hysterical. She does not demonstrate her feelings, but plunges herself into the strongest experiences. Most optimal solution in this situation - a conversation with the choreographer. Olga knows that she is honest, frank conversation can help, but for a month now he does not dare to do this. The reason is childishly simple: Olga is sure that she will burst into tears right during the conversation if she tries to defend her case.
Sensitivity to other people's suffering, the ability to feel pain loved one, as their own, a creative view of the world - all these are rare qualities that make such people valuable friends, faithful life partners, responsible employees. However, these positive traits entail the same increased sensitivity to their own failures, when failure is perceived as the end of the world. At this moment, a person cannot be philosophically detached from what happened, emotions sobbing muffle the voice of reason.
All the features described allow us to classify hypersensitivity as a neurosis, but such a conclusion is not entirely justified. After all, neuroticism is a deviation in the nervous system, pathological reactions of the psyche, resulting in a feeling of excessive anxiety and inhibiting the successful functioning of the brain. Sensitivity is more of a feature nervous system, which makes a person too vulnerable to irritants. It is easy for such a person to put pressure on feelings of guilt, he always reacts sharply to social problems, suffers from injustice and dreams of changing life for the better. But, knowing about the peculiarities of the nervous system, a person with increased sensitivity can perfectly rotate in society, controlling reactions to ongoing events and splashing out the accumulated energy, for example, into creativity.
Asya Shkuro
adminEveryone has a moment of special sensitivity: disproportionate resentment, vulnerability, doubts about their abilities and competence. And also - sentimentality and tearfulness, a feeling of hostility from the outside world. And this is quite normal. The aggravation of feelings can be caused by life crises or be one of the main features of a person's psychotype.
What is hypersensitivity?
Sensitivity in psychophysiology is inextricably linked with the sense organs. Psychologist and philosopher A.N. Leontiev proved that sensitivity, as a response to external stimuli, is associated with emotion and initially formed a single whole with it. Hypersensitivity in this sense is a necessary property of a living organism that improves adaptation to the surrounding world. The criterion for the emergence of the psyche as such. And - the basis of reflexes.
In psychology, sensitivity is called sensitivity. This is a manifestation of self-doubt, vulnerability, shyness, self-criticism, feelings of inferiority. Like any character trait, it helps to attribute a person's personality to a certain psychological type. For example, psychiatrist A.E. Lichko singled out her as one of the accentuations of character, which he considered "weak points" of the psyche.
Heightened emotional sensitivity can really interfere with getting happiness from life.
Social ultra-high sensitivity implies: the presence of self-criticism, constant self-comparison with more successful people, fear of communication and social activity. Irresistible fear of any situations, excessive demands on oneself and the consequences of this.
But one must distinguish the destructive effects of sensitivity from the positive ones. Experts identify age-related sensitivity, which helps mental maturation in children. It is assumed that in adulthood, increased sensitivity during crises of certain life cycles(or age) - favorable periods for a qualitative change in personality. Only if you do not delve into depressing thoughts, but with the help of heightened impressionability and strong feelings, understand your achievements and new opportunities.
The sensitivity is:
From an adequate acceptance of all aspects of one's own character.
From the ability to notice small things and details in the behavior of others and understand their meaning. See the essence behind the external manifestations.
From understanding the type of life situation, etiquette and roles in each case. With the help of sensitivity and connection of experience and logic.
Often they want to develop the sensitivity of the senses: sight, hearing, smell. To expand your options. Perhaps a more subtle "soulfulness", based on subconscious psychological mechanisms- a source and catalyst for creativity and creativity, increased joy and success in communication.
Causes of increased sensitivity
Excessive vulnerability and aggravation of perception can be:
A constant property resulting from:
Life experience or upbringing. Unfavorable environment, exacerbating the predisposition. It can be either a lack of love or care from parents, emotional rejection, or overprotection. Over the years, this sensitivity decreases.
Heredity. In 20% of people, the central nervous system picks up irritations that most simply do not notice. This is associated with the influence of a special gene that increases the production of the "stress hormone" - norepinephrine, which is involved in the transmission of data between neurons. And also with high level oxytocin, which, as the "hormone of love and affection," enhances "social reasoning" skills.
Temporary increase in susceptibility under the influence of:
Tipping points, crises.
Stress.
depressive states.
Diseases: general, neurological and mental.
The phenomenon of hypersensitivity has not been studied in its entirety. And fragmentary observations and studies make it clear that such a feature can ensure the viability and success of an individual. Unless, of course, it is not associated with mental pathologies.
How can you use sensitivity to your advantage?
Sensitivity, as part of the emotional and social intelligence (the ability to “feel the environment”) of a person, helps in communication. If it is not accompanied by fear of the new, anxiety, prejudices, fears, painful interpretation of the felt.
In order for hypersensitivity to work for the owner, and not against, you should learn to control your emotions, turn them from enemies into allies, balance between subtlety of perception and self-confidence, perseverance and common sense. What should you do to use sensitivity to your advantage?
Accept hypersensitivity as part of it. Whatever it is - an innate property, the result of the influence of the environment or a life change. Understand that denying a part of yourself is fraught with mental problems and psychosomatic health disorders.
Conduct a self-analysis. Psychologists advise starting an “emotional diary”:
In which to write down your feelings in detail, and then create a retrospective: what led to such a reaction.
Give names to overwhelming feelings in it, and then, within 2-3 minutes, remember all the events that “pull” these emotions from the past. Then analyze the relationships and draw conclusions on what to do next time in similar circumstances.
Parse a specific event, given that "it seemed" is not always what it is. Do not attribute your thoughts to other people, their actions and actions may be completely unrelated to your person.
During the analysis of sensations, you should not engage in self-flagellation and self-criticism. You would not complain to a close friend, why not treat yourself the same way? If you can’t deal with emotions, then try to change your attitude towards them. "Allow" them, justify. Or just feel sorry for yourself.
Do not allow labels to be attached to you. If someone calls you indecisive, cowardly, or a "crybaby", don't agree. Rethink by rising above the situation. Perhaps at some point such character traits appear, but in 90% of cases this emotion is not the main one. Do not dwell on other people's opinions and do not be offended by the statements of others. Set self-assessments yourself, give yourself the right to emotionally react in a way that is not customary. In the end, all people are unique.
If you depend on the opinions of loved ones, try to overcome codependency. Say "no", prioritize your needs, exercise confidence, get rid of "" and shyness.
Learn to concentrate and isolate specific feelings from the emotional whirlwind. To share information flows, because sometimes the sensation that has arisen can be the fruit of conjecture, and not the situation itself.
Determine what physiological changes are caused by uncontrolled emotion. Go "from the opposite": fight it, not the feeling.
Don't personalize criticisms. What is perceived as a reproach with heightened sensitivity can actually turn out to be a practical remark, advice that will help you grow. Learn to identify, and from mistakes - to draw conclusions, not generalizations.
Guilt, reproaches and anger at oneself are not the best motivators. Try instead of the words "should" and "should" to find other arguments. Adjust moral exactingness to yourself and others.
Don't jump to conclusions based on overwhelming feelings. Instead of speculation, negative internal dialogues, "logical jumps", try just talking to people about disturbing circumstances.
Be active in communication. Be specific in expressing your feelings and desires to other people. Ask more questions to immediately clarify the situation and the relationship.
Learn to abstract. Try meditation, aromatherapy.
With anxiety, irritability, anxiety - essential, ylan-ylang, juniper, rose, lavender, sandalwood will help.
With fears and self-doubt - tea tree, vetiver, rose, violet.
For depression - citrus fruits.
Use your favorite scent in calm and happy moments. And when you feel negative experiences, the aroma will help reduce them.
Listen to yourself, because sensitivity is the basis. To get a complete picture of a person, you have to spend a lot of time on contacts, processing information. Sensitives understand people faster. But subject to conscious correction of impressions. Barriers that distort responses to stimuli should be removed. If this is not possible on your own, then going to a psychologist will be the right decision to find harmony and use sensitivity for your own good.
March 30, 2014, 18:57In previous articles, we talked about what it is hypersensitivity how it develops sensitive child, and now - about what to do for an adult, whose sensitivity became a problem for him due to rejection in childhood and constant comparison of himself with others.
A sensitive person at the time of social maturation is already accustomed to the fact that his needs, requests, sensations, ideas about comfort, environment, desires for relationships - all this is different from the requests of the majority.
That is why a sensitive person is poorly compatible with some common rhythms, common approaches to solve life problems, does not always fit into teams, he often does not fit the methods of communication and living conditions accepted in a wide range.
Many people ask the question: why can't a sensitive person adapt? After all, all living things, in theory, adapt to the conditions environment, and may well learn to survive in it effectively. Why doesn't this happen here?
Sensitivity and adaptation
For some reason, adaptation is more often understood as the breaking of the individual to the demands of society than the real essence of adaptation - dynamic balance. And this means that not only the environment affects the person, but the person also affects the environment. Otherwise, there would be no social change, and society would forever remain in the caves.
However, we can see with the naked eye how much man has changed the surrounding reality, and, regardless of the assessment of these changes, we are forced to admit that man, in his ability to adapt, has gone much further than embedding himself in the environment.
Our nervous system, of course, has such adaptive capabilities as habituation and adaptation. But they work in proportion to the innate psychophysiological reality.
Relatively speaking, a person whose height is 170 cm will easily get used to tilting his head, not particularly straining, to pass through a door 165 cm high. It will be much more difficult for a person whose height is 190 cm, and do it regularly without injuring himself , he can't. Do you understand the difference?
Adaptation in the form of habituation and adaptation exists, of course, in people whose sensitivity- above average. But just as it is impossible for the average person to increase their sensitivity to the level of the HSP, so it is difficult for the HSP to adjust enough to match the average person.
The obvious conclusion suggests itself: in order to adapt their high sensitivity to the conditions existing around them, HSPs can and should influence the environment in order to adapt, and not just learn its rules and norms accepted by the majority.
And now we will talk about how exactly a sensitive person can do this, what pitfalls are most often encountered on his way, and what internal processes can accompany all this.
Start small
The most difficult thing that you have to do is get used to the idea of your own right to be the way you are. There are no instructions on how to accept yourself, for everyone this is an individual path, which is often walked together with a specialist.
In the case of HSP, this may be a particularly important component. The experience of being accepted by another person, in this case a psychologist, helps to strengthen and develop self-acceptance. But there are some things you can do on your own.
And I propose to start with a simple one - with a list of everything that is uncomfortable for you, that hurts your sensitivity. Try to somehow rank the inconveniences as they increase, from minor to more global. By small, it is usually customary to understand what most of those around wrote down there.
For example, terrible curtains in the room that my mother once bought, an uncomfortable chair, dim / too bright light in the room, an unpleasant smell in the bathroom, crowding in line and annoying touches arising from it, noise from neighbors, bed sheets in spools, too cold / hot weather, food that is familiar, but does not cause pleasure, and somehow “wrong” in the body from it, etc.
Some of these issues are solved with the involvement of small financial costs and ingenuity. It would seem that it is difficult to buy another light bulb, earplugs, bed linen from a different fabric, think about food that is more suitable for you? Throw away the old, creating bad smell items, buy flavors? As a rule, most people can afford all this, and even more.
Why not start using home delivery or convenience stores more often, visiting them, for example, closer to the night, when the main flow of people has already subsided? Why not think about special clothing - thermal underwear in case of cold, special sports "breathable" - in case of heat, etc.? All this does not belong to the category of inaccessible.
The question is why is this not done most often? But because most often you are ashamed, especially if you do not live alone.
It’s embarrassing to admit to the mother who gave you the curtains that they are not in your aesthetic (and that this aesthetic matters in general!). It’s embarrassing to tell your husband/wife that you can no longer sleep in such linen, it’s embarrassing to tell your work colleagues that you won’t go to dinner with them to eat pancakes, but go to a vegetarian cafe, although you will need to spend a little more time on the road, but there food is more suitable for you, and so on.
It’s a shame to be capricious, with pretensions, it’s scary to think about what they will twist at the temple, condemn, be offended or whisper behind their backs. That is why I suggest starting small. Firstly, because this is really a trifle for the majority, and they are unlikely to concentrate much on these trifles, and secondly, because learning to respect yourself immediately and globally is an unrealistic task.
Any qualitative transformation requires a resource. A sensitive person, as a rule, by a certain point in his life is very tired of playing by difficult rules for him. If you have been thinking about how to accept your sensitivity - most likely, you have already come to that very moment of fatigue.
It is the little things that can start to fill you with a resource. But sometimes it is not easy to afford them even when no one is watching you. It’s just that you yourself have long been accustomed to treating yourself this way, and from inside you are constantly broadcasting the voice of mom / dad / grandmother on the topic “all children are like children, but you have ...”
In order not to hear this judgmental voice inside you, you try not to do anything “special” for yourself. But you are not obliged to measure yourself by your parents' assessments all your life, and the fact that this voice is now in your head is your choice, conscious or not.
The first thing you can try to say to yourself is to give permission to your needs, support yourself in this. Sometimes it is worth at this moment to imagine that child who once did not understand what was “wrong” with his needs, but he was condemned, rejected and annoyed with him.
Now that you are your own parent, you may well say to yourself, “yes, you have the right to do this, I understand you well,” try to satisfy the need and see if this will have such a devastating effect on your life as you imagined.
Practice shows that after these simple attempts to take care of themselves, a sensitive person begins to respect himself more and feel more confident, because he begins to understand already at the level of sensations: it works. It helps to live, feel better, gives self-confidence and gives energy.
About bigger tasks
When the little things fill you with a little resource, and sensitivity ceases to seem like such a punishment, you will naturally have to pay attention to more serious issues.
Perhaps you cannot bear to be around people for eight hours, perhaps you are not able to get up early, you cannot be in a cramped room with artificial light so long, you can’t constantly fall asleep to the roar of music in the next apartment, you really need beauty and aesthetics around, more tactful people, your problem with the environment is not solved by clothing alone, and your body needs a serious change in conditions ...
Many HSPs fall into despair when such thoughts arise: it is necessary to change the whole life - work, environment, the very way of life and its schedule! But a sensitive person is not a weak and weak-willed person, as we said in the first part. Everyone experiences fear of change, but that doesn't mean you can't take action.
On the contrary, heightened sensitivity can become an impetus to achieve more than the average majority.
One of my clients suffered for a long time, among other things, from the inconveniences associated with housing in a high-rise building. Noise, unpleasant odors, an eternally dirty and smoky entrance, neighbors climbing with tactless conversations at a meeting ... When she was able to take the first steps towards accepting herself and the fact that she is a sensitive person, at some point she set herself the task: to move out of here forever. The path was not easy, but being confident in the importance of her own need, she was able to go through it, and moreover, in the course of the process she met a man who shared her aspirations. They now live as a family in own house in the country.
Another client of mine sincerely considered himself a sociophobe, was sure that because of his "misanthropy" he could not, like everyone else, work in the office, that now he would have to do part-time jobs for the rest of his life and never become anyone. We decided to try to perceive all this as a lifestyle - "I do not work in the office because I am more productive working alone" (and not because I am some kind of "defective"), etc. As a result, he was one of the first to master new remote technologies, which allowed him to discover own business and stop worrying that he doesn't work in the office.
It can be said that increased sensitivity encourages you to take steps in life that you simply would not have taken otherwise.
People often complain that their hypersensitivity incurs costs and additional complications. But do not forget that it is she who sometimes serves as a motive to develop in the profession, earn money, increase comfort and improve health. Which in the end may well lead to a more intense, interesting and happy life than many others.
Therefore, it is worth asking yourself the question in time: what can and want to change, thanks to my sensitivity? What life accomplishments does it give me energy for?
Of course, the most important thing is your attitude towards yourself, your features and needs. But, suppose (and so often happens in practice), you have already begun restructuring inside, you already perceive your sensitivity as personality trait, and not a defect, but at the same time, people around you have not yet rebuilt and continue to present you with the same requirements.
They can be understood - after all, you tried to mimic their requests before, and they are used to treating you like the average majority. And when you (in their eyes) suddenly have "claims" - you can really get a portion of criticism and depreciation.
The most important thing here is not to argue, not to prove, not to try to substantiate your need as supposedly “objective”. No matter how much someone would like, but from the objective needs we have - the need for air, the satisfaction of hunger, thirst, the need for shelter (minimal security) and clothing where one cannot survive without it. It's all. The absence of the rest of life, including reproduction, is not fatal.
But how many people dream of living only by primitive needs? Yourself, I think you can guess. No one wants to live within the framework of only “objective needs”, that is, only to survive, therefore the needs of your critics are also not objective. And you just stepped up this ladder of needs higher.
Nothing can be proved here: a person whose body does not feel accidental touches in the subway, does not notice the smell in the entrance, sleeps under the roar of hard rock, calmly digests cutlets from the nearest canteen - he still does not understand you with your sharp hearing, ability to recognize shades taste of plain water, subtle sensations emotional state others and attention to detail.
You are equal in this misunderstanding, by and large. The only difference is that your critics allow themselves to respect their needs and consider their level to be adequate, but you do not. But as soon as you are an adult, you can always change this state of affairs in your favor.
“Yes, I do. I have such requests. You have others, I respect yours, and I suggest you respect mine. That's all it makes sense to say to those who want to devalue them.
I often hear from clients about the fear of being alone, starting to assert their right to needs that are different from the majority. If your social circle begins to fall apart, then this will mean only one thing: there were and are no people in your environment who are ready to accept you as you are.
It's sad, but it's better to know about it sooner. The fewer illusions about those whom you considered close or at least friends, the fewer risks in difficult situation come across a real betrayal, which will be exactly how you perceive it, when these people treat some of your very thin part rudely, and even without understanding what happened.
The change in social circle is difficult task, Yes. But remember that HSP is 10-15% of all people. Calculate how many people this is in your city? Countries? Is this really not enough to start creating a social circle for yourself from those who are able to understand you without forcing themselves? In addition, a person may not belong to the HSP category, but at the same time be conscious enough to respect another person in another person, and not just similar to himself. All this in sum is not such a catastrophically small number of people.
And finally...
The exception to the rule is also the rule. There is always an average height, but there is always a sufficient number of people who greatly exceed this average height or vice versa. There are always average abilities, but there have always been both mentally retarded and geniuses in history (moreover, these deviations from the usual norm were sometimes even confused with each other).
Most men and women are heterosexual, but as far as one can see, there is a constant percentage of gay people in the world. Most people are right-handed, however, in every school you will find at least one left-handed child, and so on.
The very structure of the world presupposes differences. Otherwise, there will be nothing on which to build interaction and development, which is impossible without conflict, without that very “unity and struggle of opposites”.
And to measure it from the position of "worse-better" will not work. A sensitive person, as a rule, is called upon to solve more complex, more subtle tasks in different areas - this is his forte. The fact that it is more difficult for him to adapt to the conditions of the majority is the burden that has to be paid for enhanced abilities.
You do not have the opportunity to change your deepest features of personality, organism. But you have the choice to use it for your own development, or vice versa - to suppress and criticize along with others. And I really wish you to take a place in the stalls of life, making the most of your features.
English sensitivity).
1. In comparative psychology and zoopsychology, Ch. is understood as the ability for an elementary form of mental reflection - sensation. It is with Ch., according to the hypothesis of A. N. Leontiev and A. V. Zaporozhets, that the development of the psyche in phylogeny begins. In contrast to irritability in the concept of "Ch." the signaling criterion is used: Ch. - reflection by the body of such influences that are not directly biologically significant (for example, due to their energy weakness), but can signal the presence (change) of other environmental conditions that are vital (necessary or dangerous ). Ch. allows you to direct (lead) the body to the vital components of the environment or from unfavorable and dangerous components of the environment. To ensure Ch., special organs (receptors) are required that respond to biologically insignificant influences; a creature deprived of such organs must lose all reactions (including metabolic ones) to signal stimuli. Thanks to Ch., such behavioral effects arise as an anticipatory reaction (a reaction to an event that has not yet occurred) and a disproportionate reaction energy compared to the weak power of signal, biologically neutral stimuli. (B.M.)
2. In classical psychophysics, Ch. is the reciprocal of the threshold. Like thresholds, Ch.m.b. absolute, difference (differential), etc.
Psychophysical theories that deny the threshold principle of the operation of sensory systems (see the Classical theory of the continuity of the sensory series) use not the threshold, but some other indicators as a measure of frequency (see Coefficient dr, Sensory threshold, Psychophysical model of the theory of signal detection).
3. Ch. (in the biological sense) - the ability of a living organism to "perceive" adequate and inadequate irritations, responding to them to.-l. way: movement, conscious sensation, vegetative reaction, etc.; in a narrow sense - the ability of the sense organs and analyzers to respond to the appearance of a stimulus or its change.
Distinguish between absolute and differential Ch. 1st is understood as the ability to "perceive" stimuli of a minimum magnitude (detection); 2nd - as the ability to "perceive" changes in the stimulus or distinguish between close stimuli. (K. V. Bardin.)
SENSITIVITY
the ability of an organism to remember and respond to environmental influences that do not have direct biological significance, but cause a psychological reaction in the form of sensations.
SENSITIVITY
1. In psychophysics, a value inversely proportional to the threshold of sensation. Accordingly, absolute and differential (difference) sensitivity differ. 2. In differential psychology and characterology - increased readiness for affective reactions. 3. General Ability to sensation - the ability of organisms to actively respond to stimuli, to reflect influences that are biologically neutral, but objectively associated with biotic properties. It appears in phylogeny when organisms begin to react to environmental factors that perform a signal function in relation to influences that have direct biological significance. Here reflection, according to A. N. Leontiev, has two aspects: in an objective sense - a response to a given agent, primarily motor; in the subjective - inner experience, sensation this object. Sensitivity as the ability to have sensations is the basis of personality. The levels of development of various kinds of sensitivity are the inclinations for the development of abilities. The classification of types of sensitivity coincides with existing classifications sensations. So, types of sensitivity are distinguished, differing in the degree of detail of the sensory analysis performed. Given the nature of the stimulus, we can talk about sensitivity to the action of mechanical, optical, chemical, temperature and other stimuli. The sensitivity of the body can be assessed not only on the basis of sensations, but also by changing the course of various psychophysiological processes. As a result, slightly different indicators are usually obtained; for example, visual sensitivity, determined by the reaction of changes in the integral rhythms of the brain, turns out to be higher than the sensitivity estimated on the basis of the subject's verbal report. The emergence of new theoretical concepts (the theory of signal detection) in psychophysics made it possible to create generalized definitions of sensitivity, independent of the concept of the threshold of sensation.
SENSITIVITY
The ability of the body to perceive stimuli emanating from the external environment or from internal organs and fabrics. The physiological basis of Ch. is the activity of analyzers, that is, the process of transmission of impulses that have arisen in connection with exposure to stimuli in the central nervous system. The classification of the types of Ch. is based on the systematics of the types of reception and the subjective experiences associated with them. In this regard, there are exteroceptors that perceive stimuli from the outside, and interoceptors that perceive stimuli that occur in the body itself. With more differentiated discrimination, pain (nociceptive), visceral, gustatory, deep (proprioceptive), directional (according to some properties of the environment, orientation in space is formed, a certain direction is distinguished), discriminatory (distinctive), differential (the ability to perceive a difference in intensity stimuli), interoceptive, skin, olfactory, proprioceptive, light, auditory, temperature, exteroceptive, electrocutaneous, complex (integrative perception of stimuli by receptors of various modalities).
According to H. Head, there is also a phylogenetically older protopathic (Greek protos - first, primary, pathos - illness, suffering) and a phylogenetically new epicritical (Greek epikrisis - judgment, decision) Ch. The first is characterized by an increase in the threshold of perception, a qualitative difference in perception from the normal, diffuse nature of sensations caused by external stimuli; the quality of the irritation is not differentiated clearly enough, but with a certain intensity of irritation, they cause a sharp feeling of unpleasantness. Epicritical Ch. is characterized by a lower threshold of irritation, the ability to perceive a light touch, the exact localization of an external stimulus, and a more perfect recognition of the quality of an external stimulus. These types of Ch., according to M.I. Astvatsaturov, underlie the forms of emotions (see Emotion forms according to Astvatsaturov).
SENSITIVITY
sensibility) - the ability to distinguish stimuli, susceptibility (see Stimulus). All cells of the nervous system have one or another sensitivity - this is their hallmark from other cells.
Sensitivity
absolute sensitivity,
differential sensitivity.
SENSITIVITY
the ability of a living organism to perceive adequate and inadequate stimuli, responding to them in any way: movement, conscious sensation, vegetative reaction, etc.; in a narrow sense - the ability of the sense organs (analyzers) to respond to the appearance of a stimulus or its change. Distinguish between absolute and differential Ch. The first is understood as the ability to perceive stimuli of a minimum magnitude; it is estimated by the value of E, the reciprocal of the lower absolute threshold I, i.e., E = 1/1. The second is understood as the ability to perceive changes in the stimulus or to distinguish between close stimuli and is determined by the value of the differential threshold. Ch.'s classification of types coincides with existing classifications of sensations. In this regard, one speaks of visual, auditory, tactile, temperature, vibrational, and other types of body's frequency. It can be assessed not only on the basis of sensations, but also by changing the course of various psychophysiological processes. As a result, as a rule, different indicators are obtained. So, visual Ch., determined by the reaction of changes in the integral rhythms of the brain, turns out to be higher than Ch., Evaluated on the basis of a verbal report B last years thanks to the emergence of new theoretical concepts (the theory of signal detection), more generalized definitions of frequency appeared, independent of the concept of the threshold of sensation.
