Those who perceive stimuli such as noises, smells and tastes especially strongly are considered highly sensitive. A psychologist explains how victims can better cope with overexcitation in everyday life.
One could envy highly sensitive people, their ability to perceive life with all senses. However, the alleged superpower does not only apply to positive impressions and feelings.
Such people feel more pain, noise or stench, which means that everyday situations quickly become stress tests.
How do victims react to stimuli?
High sensitivity refers to all perceived stimuli. They can be divided into three categories: first, sensory stimuli, including sensitivity to noise, smell, light, pain, and taste.
In addition, there are emotional stimuli that highly sensitive people overestimate. This means that they notice and process the facial expressions, gestures, posture and tone of voice of their interlocutor. They perceive their own thoughts, feelings and mood swings just as clearly. This includes the ability to analyze and understand complex relationships very well.
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How to live with high sensitivity?
“There are many useful strategies. When I know that I am very sensitive to certain stimuli, I can adapt and actively support myself to process them better, for example, through conscious abdominal breathing. This calms the nervous system,” says psychiatrist Mikhail Chestnuts specially for MedicForum.
Therefore, other relaxation methods, such as yoga or meditation, are recommended to reduce the high levels of stress caused by overexcitation. These strategies are about consciously regulating and processing stimuli, not about avoiding them.
But even this can be beneficial in moderation.
“If I, as a very sensitive person, think that the subway ride is too nervous for me, I'd rather ride a bike. If I notice that an open-plan office is unbearable, then I prefer to work from home. Of course, such changes are not always possible, sometimes it takes a little creativity.”
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Important! Information provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and under no circumstances self-medicate. At the first sign of illness, consult a doctor.