How to Learn to Cope if You Are a Highly Sensitive Person
Manage your stress well., Socialize appropriately., Get a lot of rest., Allow yourself leisure time., Find transcendence., Set personal boundaries.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Manage your stress well.
As an HSP, you need to manage stress effectively because your heightened senses and sensitive neural system cause you to feel stress more acutely than other people.You will likely feel the effects of stress if you attempt to keep up with outside demands when your body is telling you that you need a break to refresh and regroup.
Stress causes a physiological response in the body.
It causes the body to produce increased cortisol and epinephrine, which sends your body into “flight” mode.
Additionally, stress causes your liver to produce more glucose, your heart rate increases, your blood vessels dilate, your breathing rate increases, your muscles tense, and your stomach may become upset, possibly leading to vomiting.Untreated or prolonged stress can lead to risk for hypertension, heart attack, stroke, chronic headaches, and persistent fatigue. -
Step 2: Socialize appropriately.
People with highly sensitive personalities tend to either over-socialize or under-socialize.
It is important to find the right balance between getting out of your house (and your comfort zone!) while allowing yourself much-needed decompression in the form of time alone in a familiar setting.
If you spend too much time out, you may find yourself listening more to external demands than internal demands and you’re likely to become overwhelmed or over-stimulated on a regular basis.
This can lead to physical symptoms of stress, including headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, and even insomnia.
If you spend too much time in, you run the risk of missing out on valuable experiences and activities.
Additionally, going out can become increasingly difficult as you become less accustomed to being in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations.
If you begin to feel restless and lonely, you may want to push yourself towards more social activities. , Everyone needs to get plenty of sleep to thrive, but sensitive individuals may find sleep even more important.
Sleep helps the body repair and allows individuals to regulate emotions effectively.
HSPs may do worse than others attempting to work night shifts or recovering from jet lag.
Poor sleep can produce memory problems, poor mood, impaired judgment, and chronic health problems.Poor sleep is also linked to chronic stress or the inability to deal with stress effectively., Many highly sensitive people are perfectionists and they do not allow themselves time to relax and unwind.
Building time into your schedule for leisure or “play” can help you relax and manage your stress.
Some activities that someone who is an HSP may enjoy include reading a book, gardening, or cooking a new meal. , Dr.
Aron suggests that highly sensitive people find a form of rest through “transcendence,” or connecting to something larger than themselves.
This can be meditation, yoga, prayer, or just thoughtful contemplation.
Transcendence allows the mind to rest while conscious, which can help with stress management and general feelings of calm.
Meditation helps make you more mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment.
It can also reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, and lead to an increase in self-care., Many HSPs have difficulty setting personal boundaries.
This leads them to become overly involved in other people’s lives, become intimate with others too quickly, and be overly affected by the emotions of others.Personal boundaries can be flexible and allow you to share what you want to share but keep things to yourself when you want to.
Don’t get discouraged if you have difficulty setting boundaries at first; think about it as a process instead of a specific end result.
Setting personal boundaries can help by:
Allowing you to determine the level of intimacy or involvement that you feel comfortable with Helping you assert the importance of your own needs while also addressing the needs of others.
Some examples of setting personal boundaries includes telling coworkers that you do not wish to hear about office gossip or telling a friend when you need some down time to yourself.For example, you could tell a coworker, “I appreciate your including me in the conversation, but I prefer to talk about other topics that do not involve the personal lives of our coworkers.” For example, you might tell a friend, “Jane, I know that you are going through a difficult divorce, and I really want to be there for you, but I need a break tonight to unwind.
Could we meet for coffee in the morning, and I can give you the full consideration that you deserve?” -
Step 3: Get a lot of rest.
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Step 4: Allow yourself leisure time.
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Step 5: Find transcendence.
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Step 6: Set personal boundaries.
Detailed Guide
As an HSP, you need to manage stress effectively because your heightened senses and sensitive neural system cause you to feel stress more acutely than other people.You will likely feel the effects of stress if you attempt to keep up with outside demands when your body is telling you that you need a break to refresh and regroup.
Stress causes a physiological response in the body.
It causes the body to produce increased cortisol and epinephrine, which sends your body into “flight” mode.
Additionally, stress causes your liver to produce more glucose, your heart rate increases, your blood vessels dilate, your breathing rate increases, your muscles tense, and your stomach may become upset, possibly leading to vomiting.Untreated or prolonged stress can lead to risk for hypertension, heart attack, stroke, chronic headaches, and persistent fatigue.
People with highly sensitive personalities tend to either over-socialize or under-socialize.
It is important to find the right balance between getting out of your house (and your comfort zone!) while allowing yourself much-needed decompression in the form of time alone in a familiar setting.
If you spend too much time out, you may find yourself listening more to external demands than internal demands and you’re likely to become overwhelmed or over-stimulated on a regular basis.
This can lead to physical symptoms of stress, including headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, and even insomnia.
If you spend too much time in, you run the risk of missing out on valuable experiences and activities.
Additionally, going out can become increasingly difficult as you become less accustomed to being in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations.
If you begin to feel restless and lonely, you may want to push yourself towards more social activities. , Everyone needs to get plenty of sleep to thrive, but sensitive individuals may find sleep even more important.
Sleep helps the body repair and allows individuals to regulate emotions effectively.
HSPs may do worse than others attempting to work night shifts or recovering from jet lag.
Poor sleep can produce memory problems, poor mood, impaired judgment, and chronic health problems.Poor sleep is also linked to chronic stress or the inability to deal with stress effectively., Many highly sensitive people are perfectionists and they do not allow themselves time to relax and unwind.
Building time into your schedule for leisure or “play” can help you relax and manage your stress.
Some activities that someone who is an HSP may enjoy include reading a book, gardening, or cooking a new meal. , Dr.
Aron suggests that highly sensitive people find a form of rest through “transcendence,” or connecting to something larger than themselves.
This can be meditation, yoga, prayer, or just thoughtful contemplation.
Transcendence allows the mind to rest while conscious, which can help with stress management and general feelings of calm.
Meditation helps make you more mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the present moment.
It can also reduce blood pressure, reduce stress, and lead to an increase in self-care., Many HSPs have difficulty setting personal boundaries.
This leads them to become overly involved in other people’s lives, become intimate with others too quickly, and be overly affected by the emotions of others.Personal boundaries can be flexible and allow you to share what you want to share but keep things to yourself when you want to.
Don’t get discouraged if you have difficulty setting boundaries at first; think about it as a process instead of a specific end result.
Setting personal boundaries can help by:
Allowing you to determine the level of intimacy or involvement that you feel comfortable with Helping you assert the importance of your own needs while also addressing the needs of others.
Some examples of setting personal boundaries includes telling coworkers that you do not wish to hear about office gossip or telling a friend when you need some down time to yourself.For example, you could tell a coworker, “I appreciate your including me in the conversation, but I prefer to talk about other topics that do not involve the personal lives of our coworkers.” For example, you might tell a friend, “Jane, I know that you are going through a difficult divorce, and I really want to be there for you, but I need a break tonight to unwind.
Could we meet for coffee in the morning, and I can give you the full consideration that you deserve?”
About the Author
Doris Perry
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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