Member-only story
Living in Lockdown as an HSP
Sensitive living in highly stressful situations
I grew up thinking “sensitive” was a bad word. Not being so sensitive was a goal I put on myself more often than I could count. It’s only recently that I started reclaiming the word and seeing it as a strength, rather than a weakness.
I am a sensitive person and that’s okay. Sensitivity is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I’m a Highly Sensitive Person.
An HSP is someone who processes the world a little differently than nonHSPs. We feel emotions a little deeper, process thoughts/feelings/events differently, and can be overwhelmed by external stimuli more easily.
For example, I get overwhelmed by too much sound. If there are too many different noises or it’s very loud, I have to stop functioning for a moment until I’ve processed it or until the sounds stop. Luckily, most of the time, I can power through but it means that certain environments are just not my jam. I’m not big into crowds of people because of this.
HSPs also tend to be more sensitive to the emotions of others — either as an empath (someone who takes on the emotions of others) or not. I don’t identify as an empath, but I am affected by the emotions of others, especially in close proximity.
