Posted by Dinah on January 14, 2008, at 9:09:01
In reply to the book » Dinah, posted by JoniS on January 14, 2008, at 8:53:07
I think that's a term she invented. :) What my therapist says is that in the world, some people are thoroughbreds. I always tend to think that makes it sound too good, or special, so I like the other terminology better.
I don't think she pathologizes it either. She doesn't think it needs to be a negative thing. More like having blue eyes or brown eyes.
What I got out of it is acceptance. That it's ok to need a lot of alone time. That it's ok to structure my life to not be overstimulated. That it's not weird or even all that unusual to have a finely tuned nervous system. That you're born with it, and live with it, but that you can have a good life with it.
There were also tips on how to do that. I have to admit that the tips weren't as hepful to me as the acceptance and new way of thinking.
My therapist also helped a lot with that, but in this area he was more reinforcement than direct help. He's not a highly sensitive person. He has experience with highly sensitive persons, but he's not one.
Actually, I suppose the term might sound a bit overly positive itself. But if you suffer migraines, IBS, and other various and sundry neurological offshoots of intolerance of overstimulation, it loses its luster a bit.
If you are out and about in even the most positive circumstances, do you come home and lie down and twitch, with flashing behind your eyes, as if your brain is discharging all that extra input? That used to really upset me, but now I accept it, and can lie back and view the light show without feeling like I'm *really* defective. Usually.
poster:Dinah
thread:806220
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20080114/msgs/806365.html