Everyone with Anxiety Should Be Screened for the Trait of High Sensitivity

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) write to me daily who struggle with anxiety. Anxiety impacts all aspects of our lives. It zaps our energy and our joy. It can make us irritable, impatient, and emotionally reactive, affecting our relationships and parenting. Children whose parents have anxiety are more likely to develop anxiety themselves too, which ends up causing a lifetime of pain. Living with anxiety can make working to our full potential or having healthy relationships challenging. 

Here are just a few symptoms caused by anxiety

• Racing heart

• Fatigued/Depleted

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Restless, on-edge

• Irritable

• Impatient

• Headaches

• Stomachaches

• Increased pain

• Racing thoughts

• Sleep issues

• Muscle tension, increasing injuries

• Excess worry

• Low sex drive

• Brain fog, difficulty concentrating

• Emotionally reactionary

• Anger issues

• And more

How many do you experience?

I’ve heard from many HSPs who burn out and suffer greatly from the effects of anxiety. Some turn to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain, causing even more problems later. Others carry daily guilt that they aren’t the parent they want to be, are suffering in their relationships, are too tired and unwell to work productively, and suffer financially.  

Doctors often prescribe medication without knowing that these medications usually don’t work well for sensitive nervous systems, and the side effects create even more problems. They don’t resolve the root cause, like putting a tiny bandage on a massive wound. It won’t work well long-term. 

I believe everyone with anxiety should get screened for high sensitivity. Distinct brain differences make sensitive people susceptible, which needs to be understood. Sensory processing sensitivity is the scientific name for high sensitivity, and sensory overload is a big challenge for HSPs, causing anxiety symptoms too. 

Everyone who came into my psychotherapy office with anxiety symptoms had the trait of high sensitivity, whether they knew it or not. Many had suffered for years, and after learning about high sensitivity and using natural brain-training tools that I developed, my clients had profound reductions in their anxiety within just a couple of weeks. I knew I had to get this information out to more HSPs! So I developed my brain training course to help HSPs worldwide heal from anxiety. 

Anxiety is an epidemic in those with high sensitivity, and anyone diagnosing you must be aware of the trait. Therefore, I highly recommend you give this free letter to your medical and mental health practitioners that will help them understand what you experience and why. Plus, you’ll help all the other HSPs that come after you!

With everything going on in the world, anxiety increases even more, which is concerning. I don’t want you to suffer or see your light dim. As someone who used to suffer from high anxiety, I understand how difficult it is and want to teach you what helped my clients and me!

So I created the course Brain Training for the Highly Sensitive Person, Techniques to Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelming Emotions. These tools have been developed over years of specializing in and researching neuroscience, neuropsychology, and high sensitivity and have proven successful.

What would life be like if you didn’t have anxiety holding you back?

Sharing this article with other HSPs and your medical and mental health team is an act of love for all HSPs ❤️

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Julie Bjelland is a psychotherapist specializing in high sensitivity, author of The Empowered Highly Sensitive Person, host of The HSP Podcast, and founder of the Sensitive Empowerment Community. Her books, blog, online courses, and free classes have helped thousands of highly sensitive people (HSPs) worldwide reduce their challenges, access their gifts, and discover their significant value to thrive to their fullest potential. Julie loves connecting in her Sensitive Empowerment Community and warmly invites you to join this positive, safe, and welcoming space. JulieBjelland.com❤️🌈❤️ (she/her)

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