HSP (High Sensitivity) and PTSD

HSP (high sensitivity) and PTSD -

Is there a relationship?

We speak of high sensitivity (often referred to as high sensitivity) and also called HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), when one not only observes a lot and in detail on the sensory level (fine-grained perception), but also deeply intellectually (cognitive) and especially feeling and connecting.

It has now been scientifically substantiated that the nervous system of a highly sensitive person works differently from that of others.

Demographically, we can say that about 15-20% of all people are HSP. This means that about 80%+ of the population is not. This is where one of the most difficult aspects for someone who is an HSP starts. In general, one encounters more people who are not HSP than are.

Below are some examples of aspects that are often seen in an HSP. Please note that this is not a complete list and there is no 'standard HSP'. This is because the specifics complement one's unique personality. Some people have many and others only some of the characteristics below. This says nothing at all for the effect of the characteristics on the life of an HSP.

Note: There is no 'standard' HSP. HSP is part of someone's personality, but it is important that it is a very determining part of someone's personality.

It is therefore important not to follow the advice to suppress, deny, or worse, behave as if it were not part of one's personality. Pretend you are not an HSP. The latter has disastrous consequences and sooner or later an HSP will completely get stuck.

Many find it annoying when they either come to the realization themselves, or are told by a professional that they have HSP as part of their personality. People often oppose this. This is because there can be quite a taboo on this label in certain circles.

Mapping high sensitivity (HSP), especially in high-risk professional environments, has a strong and positive influence on the reduction of absenteeism and the development of PTSD and the often resulting incapacity for work later on.

From a professional perspective, it allows people in high-risk occupations to be 'themselves' and function optimally - when someone has the knowledge and capabilities, in short the professional qualifications, you can't think of a more suitable person than an 'HSP- inventing er' in, for example, functions in forensic investigation; air force (pilot); police detective; naval and military special ops, etc?

When one has no knowledge of how one's own personality is 'constructed', with HSP as a 'part' - with or without trauma (and later in ±20% of the cases the development of PTSD) always causes a 'stick in performance- wheel'.

HSP is emphatically not a personality disorder nor a 'disorder', but a positive aspect and part of someone's personality. It is a "force", but only if it can also be used consciously as a force.

In a PTSD recovery process, it is therefore mainly not about the 'label' of HSP, but about the power that lies hidden behind it. Highly sensitive people are often seen as hypersensitive or even emotionally unstable by non-highly sensitive people. This is nonsense--in fact, there's tremendous power in using an HSP's differently functioning nervous system correctly, but only when it's used in the right way.

When someone is highly sensitive, even if one wanted to, one cannot process information differently, or deal with external stimuli differently – the nervous system simply works differently and it is a real 'weakness' when one goes through life unconsciously and one does not realize that one is 'different' than ±80% of the population.