Sensory Processing Sensitivity / Highly Sensitive Person

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This is an enlightening documentary about the innate survival trait, Sensory Processing Sensitivity, which equates to those born into the caretaking band of the tribe with the temperament of a bedside nurse.

This survival trait is found in 100+ species of animals and humans, making up 15-20% of the population (tribe), those with this survival trait are part of a minority  population of people who largely do not realize we exist as a people.

Dr. Elaine Aron, PhD uses the acronym D.O.E.S. to describe / identify this trait.  

D- Depth of processing: We can immerse ourselves in subjects. They do however have to be subjects of our own choosing, and not simply what is said to be, “important”.

O- Overstimulation: We operate with a fundamentally different nervous system and a more active mirror neuron network in the brain than the other 80-85% of the tribe. Processing vast amounts of information at once, whether we want to shut this feature off or not. 

E- Empathy: We feel a deep sense of empathy for others.

S- Subtleties: Subtle changes in our environment stick out glaringly to us. 

If these sound familiar, you may be one of the 15-20% of the population with the survival trait, Sensory Processing Sensitivity.

Or maybe these sound familiar, yet you also have a wild rogue side, much as the differneces between a bedside nurse and flight medic. Both care for the health of others, one of them is regarded as mind mannered and docile, the other is regarded as a 5 star lunatic. 

About 30-50% of those with Sensory Processing Sensitivity also possess the trait of High Sensation Seeking - Thrill and Adventure Seeking / Novelty Seeking (HSS/HSP). Learning this is the operating system I’m working with in myself made a lot of life make more sense and helped relieve a sense of suffering. 

And recognize those with Sensory Processing Sensitivity may be impacted by traumatic events more so than others. We also excel better in positive reinforcing environments. 

Imagine you’re working on a job that requires both, 15-20% precise measurements, as well as 80-85% hammering in nails. You can hammer a nail into a board using a hammer or a  micrometer, and you can measure using a micrometer or a hammer. 

You can use the micrometer to pound the nail into the wood, however it won’t be as effective as a hammer, plus you’ll have to recalibrate the micrometer afterward. The opposite is also true, you can use a hammer to measure something, however the hammer won’t be as effective at measuring as the micrometer in gaining precise readings. It’s the same job. 

When we learn to give ourselves grace and radically accept what we’ve been given, and what we're working with, we’re able to more effectively work with it.

Dr. Elaine Aron, PhD

Dr. Tracy Cooper, PhD