Does being an HSP Matter in the Mental Health World?

Well, being an HSP or highly sensitive person means that you see the world in 3D or you feel your five senses more deeply than non-sensitive people. With that being said HSP’s are more susceptible to being affected by stressors that cause anxiety, depression, or develop trauma. This is why if you are highly sensitive and you are working on your anxiety or depression with a therapist or licensed professional, they need to know that you are highly sensitive. As a matter of fact any professional that you are working with a medical doctor, chiropractor, supervisor, etc. needs to know this information. Knowing this information allows them to suggest coping techniques that are customized to fit the needs of a highly sensitive person (if they are educated about what HSP means and if not it’s up to you, the HSP, to provide them with this information).

For instance, if you are highly sensitive then 9 times out of 10 you need more sleep at night and more rest in between activities than the average person. A highly sensitive person would also need to know that their feelings of anxiety and worry can persist about the smallest issues until they find resolve because of how highly sensitive people process. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the person should be diagnosed with anxiety but suggests that they use more fine-tuned techniques to process daily interactions. Highly sensitive individuals need more than coping skills, they need a lifestyle that supports their needs.

For example, highly sensitive individuals would be doing themselves a disservice if they just used coping skills learned during their therapy session to respond to their symptoms like worrying or negative thoughts in the moment. Highly sensitive individuals would be better served to implement a lifestyle change like going to bed earlier to get more sleep, waking up earlier to practice a self-care routine to get them ready for their day, or adding mindful movement as a part of their daily routine to exert the necessary energy they may spend emotionally that day.  Having a lifestyle that supports the needs of an HSP is a proactive way to deal with their daily challenges that could cause anxiety or depression but may not have as much of an effect on them due to the preparation. Learn more about thriving as an HSP on my blog page monthly.