Highly Sensitive Person: Blessing or Curse?

I am a highly sensitive person.

This is a topic I have wanted to write about for awhile, but never could think of the right way to do it. You see, we HSPs are always thinking about what is "right." And until we connect those dots, seemingly nothing happens.

The truth is, though, with HSPs, something is always happening. We are emotion sensors, both of our own feelings and those of others. We absorb atmospheres and moods. The exhaustion this takes makes me sometimes wonder if I would be better off without it: is the HSP trait a curse?

I don't have a lot of close friends. There are several reasons for this, but perhaps being an HSP is one of these reasons. I am unable to be comfortable at a loud, crowded party. Social interactions drain me quickly. While I have many things I think about, I have a hard time verbalizing them, as they appear to me as emotional flashes, vivid images. My experience often contains no words.

I know that being an HSP is why I was drawn to music. An emotionally saturated, over-thought life was difficult to process as it was. I often feel disconnected from my own body as I get lost in the world of thought. Music and running called to me. As I immersed myself into these activities, I felt more alive. However, the chasm between myself and what I considered to be the "normal person" continued to widen. I was awakening who I was inside, but others found it difficult to understand me.

I have seen many posts circling Facebook titled things like "20 Facts About Highly Sensitive People," or "10 Reasons Why Being Highly Sensitive Is Great." (I totally made those titles up, but something to the effect...) These posts highlighted all the wonderful things about being highly sensitive, like depth of emotion, being able to relate to others' feelings, etc., but often left out how isolating being an HSP can be. I often feel like I am alone in this profound experience while the world hurries and misses what I see. It can be very lonely.

However, I also know that being an HSP can be a gift. The friends I do have tend to be others that the world doesn't understand. I do not actively seek these people out, as I am friendly to all, but the people I end up keeping as close friends are others who are different, who need to be understood in depth. And it is this ability to relate to people that I hope will help me have a long and satisfying career as a teacher.

Only HSPs can understand why having this trait can sometimes feel like a curse. We want to be able to have a "normal" day sometimes. But, this sensitivity gives us the special ability to step into the emotional content of others and respond with great empathy. Helping others makes it worth it.