Very sensitive people are shy and introverted women: Wrong! Light on these false myths of highly sensitive people.
Highly sensitive people are a misunderstood, group. They are often treated as if they are weak when they are really strong to have so many feelings. Or, it is assumed that they cannot handle interactions with other people or have full lives when in fact they can thrive in this way. These myths about Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) can both damage the perception that others have of them and prevent HSPs from exploring who they really are.
“Most of the world does not experience its nervous system in the same way as an HSP, so the most common messages and cultural structures are constructed by non-HSPs. This can cause a feeling. Of being in danger or that you have to differ from your innate way of being. In research, they have found this trait in 20% of each species. This is not a mistake. There is nothing wrong with you if you feel very sensitive. The way you are, naturally sensitive, is important and indispensable. “, explains Christina Salerno, life coach, and PHS, in Bustle.
Despite what the rest of the world sometimes says, highly sensitive people make great friends, partners, employees, and people. Here are 7 common misconceptions about highly sensitive people – and what you need to know instead.
- They are weak
Being sensitive doesn’t mean being unable to manage what life has in store for you. It just means that you take in more than others – and if you can handle it all, you’re probably very strong.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about very sensitive people is that they can’t manage what they feel,” says Shelby Forsythia, a certified grief recovery specialist, Reiki practitioner, and intuitive grief guide.
“Society views the expression of feelings (through language, tears, or anxious behavior) as ‘too much’ or as a sign that the person expressing their emotions in this way cannot control themselves. As if the outward manifestation of a feeling is a symptom of incapacity or incompetence. But very sensitive people can perfectly manage the emotions that come to them. They feel them more – and therefore express them more. ,”
- They are all introverted
Many very sensitive people stay alone because environments with many people overwhelm them. But that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the company of others or be extroverted by nature.
“People think that very sensitive people are introverted,” said Jordan Pickell, a licensed clinical consultant in Bustle. “While most highly sensitive people are introverts, you can be extremely sensitive and extroverted.”
- They cannot take care of others
Highly sensitive people may sometimes prefer to be alone, but since they are often sensitive to others and themselves, they can make very caring and loyal friends.
“While highly sensitive people are sensitive to their own emotional pain, they are also deeply empathetic and responsive to the feelings and needs of others,” Pickell says.
- They can’t thrive in a full life
Taking care of yourself is important as a highly sensitive person, but it doesn’t always mean taking it easy. “While highly sensitive people need to protect themselves from over-stimulation, they also need to watch out for under-stimulation,” Pickell says. “Highly sensitive people are happier at work, in life, and in relationships when they are engaged in creative and engaging activities. Think of it as finding the right intellectual, emotional, and physical stimulation, rather than limiting the stimulation altogether,”.
- They are often women
Women are stereotyped as being more sensitive than men, but men are just as sensitive – they are more likely to hold it in.
“Men are just as likely to be sensitive as women,” says mental health expert Emily Mendez in Bustle. “They’ve just been taught to express it differently because of our culture.”
- They are on the spectrum of autism.
Autism and high sensitivity are sometimes confused, but they are two totally different things.
“Many highly sensitive people are not autistic,” says Mendez. “Although people with autism can be sensitive, everyone can be sensitive.”
- They’re all outwardly emotional
Highly sensitive people can feel a lot of insides, but they often suppress it, so you may not distinguish a PHS from a non-PHS.
“They leave their bodies and not be present because it’s painful to feel so many strong emotions and the pain of others,” explains Susan Shumsky, author of Instant Healing, in Bustle. “They have addictive personalities, and they may escape through self-medication, such as alcohol and drug abuse. Their addictions stem from the need to blunt their overly sensitive feelings and emotions.
If you are a PHS, your sensitivity is a strength, not a weakness. It is very important to take care of yourself. A therapist can accompany you on this path, to better know your strengths and weaknesses, and to move forward through your strengths.
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