Are Stress and Anxiety Taking Over Your Life?
Do you suffer from high stress or anxiety, have high expectations of yourself, and get overwhelmed a lot? Do you find it hard to balance everything in your life? Do you wish you felt calm and had more energy? You might be part of the 20% of the population that is highly sensitive, also called sensory processing sensitivity.
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) have a more finely tuned nervous system, and therefore, overstimulation levels tend to be so high that just getting through the day can be a challenge as a sensitive person. This trait evolved as a survival strategy of the population and offers many gifts that are needed in the world, but the gifts are often buried underneath the challenges of living in a modern world not set up for the sensitive.
Some facts about the trait:
Scientifically proven innate trait, not a disorder
Found in over 100 species
Equal in gender
About 70% are introverts, 30% extroverts
Those with this trait:
have a more sensitive and activated nervous system.
experience more activation of the fight/flight/freeze response (contributing to higher stress levels, anxiety and may cause or worsen chronic conditions).
have more activation in the insula, which is part of the conscious awareness, meaning you take in more details and information than 80% of the population.
can read microexpressions and body language that 80% of the population may miss.
have more activation of the brain mirror neurons, which makes you fire the same neurons as someone you are observing, creating increased empathy.
want to get things done right the first time.
Why it’s important to understand this trait:
Your life and well being will get better if you understand why you are the way you are and how to support your sensitive system so you can reduce stress and anxiety.
Everyone around you will benefit if you are in balance and healthier.
You’ll have more energy, patience, and focus and feel more in control.
You might be misdiagnosed. (Your medical and mental health professionals need to understand this trait in order to offer you the best care and prevent misdiagnosis.)
You can learn ways to balance your overloaded nervous system, which can improve your overall health and wellbeing.
What we know works to reduce anxiety for the highly sensitive person:
Learn all you can about this trait. Explore my HSP Website
Spend time with other highly sensitive people so you feel more understood and connected to people who experience the world like you do. It really helps normalize and validate your experiences. Sensitive Empowerment is my online community that I recommend joining.
Learn tools and techniques that help reduce overwhelm, overstimulation, and your brain's alarm-bell response to an overstimulated nervous system. Explore my HSP Course Brain Training for the Highly Sensitive Person, Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelming Emotions
Moving out of survival mode into sensitive empowerment is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you are truly thriving in the world, everyone benefits. What would your life look like if anxiety and high stress weren’t an obstacle? Who would benefit if you were thriving instead of surviving?
Julie’s HSP Information/Resources
Join Julie and your HSP tribe in our new Sensitive-Empowerment Community!
Highly Recommended: Subscribe to the weekly HSP newsletter at hspblog.com.
Recommended HSP books sensitivebooks.com
About Julie Bjelland, LMFT Julie is a licensed psychotherapist, author, and founder of Sensitive Empowerment, an online global community for highly sensitive people. As a leader in the field of high sensitivity, Julie has helped thousands of highly sensitive people (HSP) around the world and is excited to empower sensitive people to access their gifts and truly flourish. As an HSP herself, Julie understands what it's like to live with high sensitivity and strong emotions, and is on a mission to empower HSPs to live their best lives.
Julie’s Website: www.juliebjelland.com
Some men have expressed frustration about my focus on women’s autism experiences, but this emphasis addresses a longstanding research gap that makes women-centered support essential.