Highly sensitive people

[skylights]

interesting. i get like this when i am overly tired sometimes. lots of sensory things bother me - everything has to be just so. it's my mini ISTJ pampering me!

i have always been hypersensitive to sounds though. and emotions, though i attribute that to Fi.

 

[OmarFW]

i have always been hypersensitive to sounds though. and emotions, though i attribute that to Fi.

being sensitive to emotions is not solely an Fi or Fe thing as Ti and Te preferred types can be just as sensitive to that kind of thing as well.

sensitivity to emotion as an ENFP may represent some kind of projection of ethics onto something current. perhaps there are some past emotions you place value in that you have not come to terms with just yet?

that involves Fi, but it is actually more of an Si thing. Since Si is your inferior function your high sensitivity would more likely originate from there than anywhere else.

 

[Thalassa]

being sensitive to emotions is not solely an Fi or Fe thing as Ti and Te preferred types can be just as sensitive to that kind of thing as well.

sensitivity to emotion as an ENFP may represent some kind of projection of ethics onto something current. perhaps there are some past emotions you place value in that you have not come to terms with just yet?

that involves Fi, but it is actually more of an Si thing. Since Si is your inferior function your high sensitivity would more likely originate from there than anywhere else.

I believe it's connected to Si. I also believe part of what I feel as emotional intensity is connected to Si.

I think Si and Fi are married in an NFP. I'm not sure we can fully pull them apart.

 

[Thalassa]

I hate it when people tell me it's a chemical inbalance. It amounts to the same thing as you are wired wrong. When I get a second, I'll pull up some of the science papers that indicate across the board, at least in mammals about 15-20% of the population is considered to be Highly sensitive. Especially in pack animals, the HS as a part of the group confer a definite advantage. Hypervigilant means real dangers are percieved quicker, so action can take place faster.

Being depressed and anxious can be a chemical imbalance, I'm in agreement with him on that, but being an HSP is different than being depressed and anxious.

I have sensitivity to light and sound. I also am sensitive to smells. That's not linked to my depression, but it can certainly cause anxiety or irritation.

 

[OmarFW]

I believe it's connected to Si. I also believe part of what I feel as emotional intensity is connected to Si.

I think Si and Fi are married in an NFP. I'm not sure we can fully pull them apart.

In the sense that Te and Ne can interact as well, but require introverted functions in order to function properly and form complete thoughts.

That's the danger with falling into tertiary loops. Your introverted functions or extraverted functions continue to interact with each other since you essentially can't turn off that interaction but they stop communicating with their introverted or extraverted counterparts and rational thought is halted.

It bugs me though when people play the "OMG TERTIARY LOOP" card whenever you suggest dominant and tertiary function interaction.

 

[Synapse]

I used to hang out a lot on the forums actually.

Would you know where it is now? It was a great resource for reading though I'm unable to find the HSP forums I knew of back in 05, either its closed or moved.

 

[SilkRoad]

It's weird - I was looking at info on HSP again. There's some stuff I relate to a lot, and some not at all. Being extremely sensitive to nuances, well, that only applies to me in some areas. I'm certainly not finely attuned to sensitivities of taste or smell or texture - probably less than average in some ways! However, I've always been hypersensitive to sudden loud noises. They always terrified me completely when I was little (like thunderclaps or gunshots) and I'm still pretty sensitive to sudden loud noises - in fact my thunderstorm phobia is if anything a bit worse than it used to be. I jump out of my skin if I go to the theatre and there is a gunshot in the play. However, I love loud noises in terms of loud music on my headphones and loud concerts - that energizes rather than exhausts me - but I guess it's not unexpected! I don't generally like surprises and a sudden loud noise is almost like the worst example of that.

Then I get overwhelmed emotionally easily, at least when I've let things pile up, and it can take me months or years to recover from something that a lot of people would consider only a minor emotional shock or disappointment. I try not to dwell on my emotions but find it immensely difficult to not get stuck in them and in vicious Ni-Ti loops.

Shortsie - in terms of the time of year thing - I live in the UK and it is pretty dark here until about the end of March, which is hard for me. (Then it gets wonderfully light in the evenings and mornings, almost too light!). That doesn't help for sure. November has always been a hard month for me too, it has often been a low point. In terms of this year, I think I was heading for a crash anyway around mid-late Jan - if anything I felt too good for the latter half of last year. Then I had some emotional stuff to cope with which basically sent me straight into a downward spiral and unfortunately it lasted about three months.

I sort of waited to get over it, but I didn't take very good care of myself and that made things worse. I was sleeping at odd hours, eating badly etc which are always issues for me but my emotional state exacerbates it. And when I am feeling emotionally terrible and I have to just wait, I find it a horrible feeling. I can feel a kind of despair. At worst I feel like I'm never going to get out of it. Generally I don't feel quite that bad, but I hate the feeling that even if I do get out of it, it will happen to me again at some point. When things are going badly in my life I have a nasty habit of viewing all my problems as part of a grand pattern of failure and difficulty in my life which I will never break out of.

 

[King sns]

From what I'm seeing/ feeling, it's not necessarily a sensitivity to one thing or another, it's almost like an oversensitivity to life. I think I related a bit more as a child and toughened up a lot as I got older. (You need to.)
Yesterday, for instance, I was watching this older couple at work. The woman, mother of 10, has severe dementia. Very sweet tiny little old lady sitting in a geri chair. She had a bib on for some reason. The husband is still with it and came to visit her. He was wearing a little tan hat, kind of like a beret, but i'm not sure of the correct term. His facial expression was lost, and she looks like an elderly child. He was holding her face and looking directly into her eyes, bent over her like he was taking care of a baby, straightening her bib. I can't really describe what I saw in every single detail, but in one glance my heart immediately dropped into my stomach and tears came out of my eyes. It was really embarrassing. An aide was watching me, goes, "Are you crying?" (She knew what I was looking at.) It was so embarrassing that I had to go in the bathroom for a few minutes. (One of many examples.)
To me, that's a part of "highly sensitive" or "empathic." I feel like I just see too much sometimes. I'm happier when it's turned down or turned off.
It's really hard to describe, actually, to the point where I feel like I'm hardly describing it at all or making it sound fake. It's a relief to know that there's an actual word for it. (And that word ties a whole lot of crap together that otherwise wouldn't have been tied together.)


I'm reading more about the energies and qualities that can come with being very sensitive. I think it's something that manifests itself in different ways and the manifestations seem to be based on other personality characteristics combined with life experience.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Being depressed and anxious can be a chemical imbalance, I'm in agreement with him on that, but being an HSP is different than being depressed and anxious.

I have sensitivity to light and sound. I also am sensitive to smells. That's not linked to my depression, but it can certainly cause anxiety or irritation.

Yeah, I have a thing with fluroscent lights. I get migraines from the flickering.
I see what you are saying, and yes, there no real denying that chemical imbalances do cause depression.
I've been down that road a long time ago though, and apart from the odd patch of reactive depression, I can't say that I ever been that depressed again. I mean its really simple things for me, like take vacation time occasionally. Making sure I have a couple of hours to myself in the day. Not having to talk straight away when I get home from work (LOL, I had a boyfriend tell me I was worse than most guys about that.) Trying not eat crap. Do lots of walking/excersize, and sleeping. Not sleeping properly can make every thing a bit crap, and that was pretty much the key to most of my issues. That can come across as a chemical imbalance.

 

[SilkRoad]

I would have thought that working in nursing and that sort of thing would be quite difficult if you are very sensitive emotionally and otherwise. I'm pretty squeamish in terms of dealing with others' sickness and bodily functions and all the rest (not particularly proud of that, but it's true) so I doubt I could handle it on that level, but I find it difficult to be around people who are very ill or dying (which I have been at times in my life, especially in my late teens when quite a few family members and friends died) - because I just want to cry, I feel so sad. I can hold it together when with them but feel overwhelmed and will definitely cry when I'm away from the person or their family members and won't upset them further.

I've felt really stupid sometimes, actually. I've been around people near death, and their family, and they all seem fairly calm (though some of it may be shock, I guess). Whereas I'm teetering on the edge of bursting into big sobs. The only reason that I don't is because I figure I'm there to be a comforting and encouraging presence, as a friend, and bursting into tears wouldn't help that much...

 

[Perch420]

I always thought this was the definition of Ni. Maybe I'm not an INTJ after all, then.

 

[skylights]

being sensitive to emotions is not solely an Fi or Fe thing as Ti and Te preferred types can be just as sensitive to that kind of thing as well.

[...]

that involves Fi, but it is actually more of an Si thing. Since Si is your inferior function your high sensitivity would more likely originate from there than anywhere else.

i actually think it's more of a Ne/Fi thing - though i know Si is interlaced. i'm talking about sensitivity not to my own emotions, but to those of others - i can pick up on someone's emotional state pretty much instantaneously and i can almost immediately "get on their level" emotionally. not in terms of my own emotions, but in terms of my bearing - match my overall bodily "feel".

sensitivity to emotion as an ENFP may represent some kind of projection of ethics onto something current. perhaps there are some past emotions you place value in that you have not come to terms with just yet?

i actually have no idea what you mean?

 

[King sns]

I always thought this was the definition of Ni. Maybe I'm not an INTJ after all, then.

Nah, it's just a trait unto itself.

 

[King sns]

I would have thought that working in nursing and that sort of thing would be quite difficult if you are very sensitive emotionally and otherwise. I'm pretty squeamish in terms of dealing with others' sickness and bodily functions and all the rest (not particularly proud of that, but it's true) so I doubt I could handle it on that level, but I find it difficult to be around people who are very ill or dying (which I have been at times in my life, especially in my late teens when quite a few family members and friends died) - because I just want to cry, I feel so sad. I can hold it together when with them but feel overwhelmed and will definitely cry when I'm away from the person or their family members and won't upset them further.

I've felt really stupid sometimes, actually. I've been around people near death, and their family, and they all seem fairly calm (though some of it may be shock, I guess). Whereas I'm teetering on the edge of bursting into big sobs. The only reason that I don't is because I figure I'm there to be a comforting and encouraging presence, as a friend, and bursting into tears wouldn't help that much...

Oh lord the awkwardness is overwhelming sometimes. I'm not squeamish about the bodily fluids, but the emotional factor is there. I'm pretty sure I cried every single day for three months after entering health care. Now I find it best to block some things from my awareness or to try to see a lot of good that comes out of it. I already have a library of hundreds of stories at this point in my relatively short career.

 

[Tallulah]

i actually think it's more of a Ne/Fi thing - though i know Si is interlaced. i'm talking about sensitivity not to my own emotions, but to those of others - i can pick up on someone's emotional state pretty much instantaneously and i can almost immediately "get on their level" emotionally. not in terms of my own emotions, but in terms of my bearing - match my overall bodily "feel".

I get drained by others sometimes in an emotional way, and it's not a Fi thing (I don't think)--I don't feel their emotions, but I can imagine what it would be like to be in that situation, and I want to make their lives easier. It's kind of taking empathy to the next level, but it's hard for me sometimes to just draw a barrier.

Picked up the Highly Sensitive Person book at the library this week, but haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

 

[King sns]

Hmm.. I just realized there is another thread on this, but then saw that it turned into the usual stuff. Glad I started a new one.

 

[King sns]

I get drained by others sometimes in an emotional way, and it's not a Fi thing (I don't think)--I don't feel their emotions, but I can imagine what it would be like to be in that situation, and I want to make their lives easier. It's kind of taking empathy to the next level, but it's hard for me sometimes to just draw a barrier.

Picked up the Highly Sensitive Person book at the library this week, but haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

Yea, it's terrible... I don't think I actually imagine what it's like to be that person consciously though. It's just an energy thing. Not a fan of feeling what the other person feels if they feel like a miserable wreck. I think that's why I spend a lot of time trying to cheer people up. It's selfish in the end, really. I'm just trying to indirectly cheer myself up.

 

[OmarFW]

i actually think it's more of a Ne/Fi thing - though i know Si is interlaced. i'm talking about sensitivity not to my own emotions, but to those of others - i can pick up on someone's emotional state pretty much instantaneously and i can almost immediately "get on their level" emotionally. not in terms of my own emotions, but in terms of my bearing - match my overall bodily "feel".

hmm, seems more of an enneagram related thing honestly.

 

[mumblebee]

So, I have this problem. Once in a while, (usually out of the blue, possibly under perceived threat/ stress), I go through phases of high anxiety leading to fatigue and depression.

During my psych clinical a while back, the patients were supposed to take a test about hypersensitivity/highly sensitive people. (I took the test in my head myself as I read over it.) I found that a lot of the anxieties that I have could possibly be due to that. I read further into it, and fit the bill for someone who is highly sensitive at times. (Taking in a lot of subtle details in depth, becoming overwhelmed, overly sensitive, insecure, paranoid, very empathic. I don't withdraw, though. In fact, I talk more.) It's not extreme to the point where I'm out of reality, but very uncomfortable. It could almost be super functioning if there wasn't the emotional factor to go along with it. That part is debilitating. It's a sense of greatly heightened awareness.
(It's always just a phase, 1 to 6 months or so of depression and/or anxiety.)

In general it impacts my functioning just a little bit, where I am able to perform at the minimum to keep my life normal. I'm going through one of these phases at the moment, and the old techniques seem to be just a quick fix lately.

Anyone else have this problem?

Wow, its erie how much I can relate to what youv'e said....it's like your best qualities turn around and poison you. I work in a non traditional trade for a women and it is important for me to be taken seriously and not get "emotional", but even though woodworking is something is a calling for me, the environment is definaitly not! Also I can't explain how deeply I feel for someone that is hurting....I feel such an intense amount of pain for people when I know thier hurting that in some cases (especially is a child is abused in anyway) I feel physically sick and profoundly hurt for them.
Also about your I talk more comment, I find that too....I can be having a mild anxiety attack, and be joking my ass off....I'm on fire (LOL).

 

[skylights]

hmm, seems more of an enneagram related thing honestly.

maybe so. it just always seemed to me to correspond well to Ne's ability to see an overall pattern and then just having comfort/familiarity of intrapersonal landscapes thanks to Fi.