Huffington Post Relationship Reporter Kelsey Borresen wrote a great piece on loving a highly sensitive person. I was happy to contribute a few quotes.
You might assume that a highly sensitive person is someone who simply gets emotional easily. While that’s one aspect of being an HSP, there’s more to it.
Those who possess the highly sensitive personality trait ― an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the population ― also pick up on subtle changes in their environment; they’ll notice if you got a haircut or if the mood in a room has shifted. Loud noises, large crowds and bright lights can be overwhelming to HSPs, so they may need to retreat to a calm, quiet space after a chaotic day. HSPs are often deeply moved by music and the arts, and they make great friends and romantic partners because they’re good listeners and empathetic by nature. (To find out if you’re an HSP, you can take this self-test, developed by Elaine Aron, researcher and author of The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You.)
The simplest and best post I have ever seen from you. Thank you!
I read Elaine’s book in my early 20s, and it changed my life. Thank you for the refresher. I am reading your book Beyond Blue right now and am especially enjoying the Monkey Brains chapter. Was giggling out loud at the laundromat (a place that, yes, triggers my germ worries lol) this morning while reading the section on your triathlon thoughts. I can super relate to your Amy, I have a really intense Amy myself, and often leave work for the day with Amy tormenting me in the background the rest of the evening. I need to spend more time talking with my Harvard professor. The Worry Cure is a really good book for taming Amy, however I have trouble cracking open the book after a long day and often try to drown Amy out through distraction instead (ie. Netflix binging lol). Doesn’t work so well in the long run though, best to face the worry thoughts directly.
Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for writing Beyond Blue. I am really enjoying it and finding it helpful.
Take care and peace on your journey ?