Previously, we discussed what a highly sensitive person (HSP) looks like and some of the signs that might indicate you are one. If some of the signs and symptoms resonated with you, you might be asking yourself, “What now?”
Some HSPs simply accept their sensitivity and choose not to seek any help. Unfortunately, that can make it difficult to manage your emotions as you go forward. You’ll continue to struggle with sensitivity, which can negatively impact your quality of life.
Thankfully, therapy can help highly sensitive people in a variety of ways. If you’ve considered it before, but you’re still on the fence, let’s cover a few benefits you can experience by seeking out the help of a professional.
It Reduces Anxiety
Many people seek out the help of a therapist to deal with anxiety and stress. As a highly sensitive person, you might struggle with negative thought patterns and invasive worries that try to consume your life.
Therapy can help you change those thought patterns and fight back against negative self-talk. It can reduce your stress levels and teach you the skills necessary to combat anxiety. While that alone doesn’t necessarily reduce your sensitivity, it can certainly make it easier to manage when anxiety threatens to take hold.
You’ll Learn Self-Compassion
It’s not uncommon for HSPs to be self-critical and have low self-esteem. You might struggle with your confidence, so you try to make up for it by setting unrealistic expectations and standards for yourself.
Unfortunately, that often leads to more stress and anxiety.
Therapy promotes self-care and healing. It can boost your confidence and the overall image you have of yourself. It will teach you to show yourself compassion and kindness, even when everything in you is screaming not to. When your confidence is boosted, you’ll have an easier time accepting reality without letting it make you anxious.
You’ll Learn to Handle Conflict Effectively
Highly sensitive people don’t typically do well with conflict. When it comes up, they’re likely to react with anger, frustration, or pain. While that’s warranted in some situations, those emotions can cloud judgment and make it difficult to engage in conversation.
Therapy can help you learn how to handle conflict and tension in healthy, effective ways. When you know how to do that, situations are less likely to get out of hand. Tension will reduce faster, and you won’t have to deal with excessive stress every time something doesn’t go the way you think it should.
You Can Get to the Bottom of Your Sensitivity
High sensitivity can be hereditary, but it’s often more likely that external factors contribute to someone being an HSP. For example, it’s common for people who experienced childhood trauma to be highly sensitive.
Those issues aren’t always easy to talk about. Maybe you’ve even tried to repress them or forget about them. But, getting to the root cause of this issue is the first step toward healing. Therapy can help you do that in a safe, neutral setting. You don’t have to worry about judgment or someone thinking less of you. Working with a therapist to dig into the underlying cause of your sensitivity can help you see things from a new perspective.
It’s not always easy to open up and share your struggles, no matter what you’re going through. However, you shouldn’t have to deal with the drawbacks of being a highly sensitive person on your own. The longer you shoulder that burden, the worse your symptoms are likely to become.
Consider reaching out for help and scheduling a therapy appointment soon so you can start living the life you deserve.
Jennifer Perera is a mom of two boys, a spouse and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is also Certified as a Perinatal Mental Health Professional by Postpartum Support International. She has a private practice in Springfield, New Jersey and also sees clients throughout New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Illinois via telehealth. Her passion is helping new moms and dads find their joy again in parenthood through individual and couples counseling. She also runs workshops for new parents, teaching them techniques and strategies to help them have a stronger relationship - built to thrive during the parenthood years. Jennifer specializes in working with parents during the prenatal and postpartum periods and those coping with grief or loss issues surrounding pregnancy.