Highly Sensitive People: From Wounded to Warrior

As Highly Sensitive People (HSP), we feel things deeply and our emotional landscape is diverse. We’re likely to feel the intense joy and elation that comes from positive experiences, as well as the overwhelming despair that can arise when we’re navigating life’s challenges.

Advantages and Disadvantages?

This ability to experience such a wide variety of emotions is thought to have advantages and disadvantages for Highly Sensitive People. When HSP are in nourishing or healthy environments they are more likely to flourish, thrive and seize opportunities available to them. Research has shown that toxic environments — especially in childhood — leave HSP vulnerable to the impact of trauma and mental or emotional struggles such as depression or anxiety.

Research suggests this is a disadvantage of being Highly Sensitive; however, I believe an ability to feel into the depth of our suffering can, paradoxically, also be a gift and a catalyst for our individual and collective healing.

Does everyone experience the world as we do?

It’s human nature to want to avoid mental, emotional and physical suffering; we try to ‘get over’ our pain as quickly as possible. We might wonder if other people struggle with the same level of emotional intensity that we do, or if they also experience the world as being too much?