So what shall I embarrass myself with in this month’s post?
How about I discuss a certain kind of neurodivergence?
There is this thing called a Highly Sensitive Person. And another thing call High Sensation Seeking. This is me. Both the things. A walking paradox.
Generally speaking:
“a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is someone who experiences heightened sensitivity to external stimuli and internal emotions. This trait, known as Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), was first coined by psychologist Elaine Aron. About 15-20% of the population are thought to be HSPs.
And High Sensation Seekers (HSS) crave new and intense experiences, often seeking out thrills and adventures.”
Only perhaps about 30% of HSP are also HSS. That’s extra minority!
So am I mousy and delicate yet I want to ride a golden horse (akhal-teke!) through Anatolia? You bet.
I mean, I can’t tolerate loud music, strong aromas, and low latitude sunshine, yet I live in a rather brash part of Mexico. (Because it is a learning experience. And.. well, I’m poor and cannot live in that posh cabin in the woods a few hours away from a first world city. Which would be slightly more ideal, yeah?)
I seek, I explore, I want to have different experiences, but you will see me display hesitation and even a lot of resistance before trying things out or learning something new. And I will hesitate to try it again because I need to take time with what just happened. The hesitation is me having deeper thought/feeling processing than what most people experience.
It makes be both good and bad at Life. I could throw myself into doing a thing- and ponder it to the point of inaction while doing it! And I know this always gives the wrong impressions.
The way I am wired is not the same as just being shy and oh I just need to come out of my shell. It’s full on neurodivergence.
I am always speaking another- other language. I never know if people understand what I mean and I have to try shrugging off the communication errors by sheltering under the mantle of “artist,” “poet,” “performer.” Whatever.
Humans like to cram things in to these neat boxes and here I am making even less sense than people trying to express other versions of sexuality or non-sexuality.
Maybe placing these clinical labels on myself will help me be understood?
My faith in humans continues to wane.
While I don’t exhibit a all of these traits in extreme ways, here is are the generalized cut-paste lists of what exemplifies Highly Sensitive and High Sensation Seeking people-
Characteristics of HSPs:
- Heightened Sensitivity: HSPs are more affected by sensory stimuli like light, sound, and touch.
- Deep Emotional Responses: They experience intense emotional reactions to both positive and negative events.
- Empathy: HSPs often have a strong capacity for empathy and can easily pick up on others’ feelings.
- Overwhelm: Situations that might be moderately stressful for others can be overwhelming for HSPs.
- Creativity: Many HSPs are highly creative and have rich inner lives.
- Need for Solitude: HSPs often require time alone to recharge and process their experiences.
Characteristics of HSS:
- Thrill and Adventure Seeking: Craving activities involving physical risk, like extreme sports.
- Experience Seeking: Pursuing new and varied experiences, from foods to travel.
- Disinhibition: Acting on impulse, engaging in behaviors without much restraint.
- Boredom Susceptibility: Low tolerance for routine and getting bored easily.
- Risk-Taking: Willing to take risks for the sake of new experiences.
- Novelty Seeking: Drawn to new, complex, and intense sensations.
- Impulsivity: Making quick decisions without much deliberation.
- Non-Conformity: Challenging norms and not responding well to authority.
Now that you have these terms by which to understand me, here is how you can help:
- Strategic Thrills: Help me find safe and fulfilling ways to satisfy my sensation-seeking side without overwhelming my sensitive side.
- Self-Care: Help me prioritize downtime and activities that soothe my sensitive nature.
- Support: Direct me to understanding folks who can deal with / appreciate the complexity of my experience.