How Stoicism Can Work for the Highly Sensitive Person
Some people are born with an unusual degree of sensitivity, recognizing life's complexities with tremendous depth. Highly sensitive persons (HSPs), are intense and emotionally gifted individuals who travel a one-of-a-kind route in which emotions, both their own and those of others, are perceived with unrivaled sensitivity.
Overstimulation, negative self-perception, emotional overwhelm, and difficulty making decisions are some of the challenges that HSPs face due to their exceptional capacity to perceive the world through heightened emotional awareness and empathy.
At first glance, high sensitivity and Stoicism don't seem to go together. However, when we look more closely, we realize that Stoicism is the ideal philosophy for someone who is extraordinarily passionate and sensitive.
Stoicism, a philosophy exemplified by great thinkers such as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus, provides a comprehensive framework that can substantially help highly sensitive persons in their quest for self-discovery, emotional stability, and personal progress.
Researcher Elaine Aron sheds light on the distinctive experiences of highly sensitive persons, who face challenges rooted in their inherent nature. These include:
Emotional Overwhelm. Due to their exceptional capacity for intense emotional experience, HSPs are prone to becoming easily overwhelmed by strong emotions like anxiety, stress, or sadness. Their acute awareness of emotions can lead to emotional exhaustion.
Negative Self-Perception. Being judged for their heightened emotional reactions may contribute to HSPs internalizing the belief that something is 'wrong' with them. Their acute sensitivity to external stimuli can intensify the internalization of criticism or rejection, causing them to have low self-esteem.
Feeling Indecisive and Confused. The meticulous information processing tendency of HSPs can pose challenges in decision-making. They often find themselves overanalyzing situations, considering numerous factors in great detail, leading to indecision.
Vulnerability to........© Psychology Today
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