Constantly Feel Overwhelmed? This Personality Type May Be Why

Woman on beachI reckon most of us look around at our peers from time to time and think, “How is everyone doing everything?!”It’s a question I ask myself at least once a week. Between work, relationships, basic chores, staying reasonably active, and getting enough sleep, I often feel completely overwhelmed. But according to Daren Banarsë, a psychotherapist and former lecturer who owns a private practice in London, some people who could be classed as “highly sensitive” may be even more likely to become overstimulated than the rest of us.Here’s how to tell if you may be a “highly sensitive” person, as well as how to handle the added sense of overwhelm it may lead to.How can I tell if I’m a highly sensitive person?Per Banarsë, your baseline emotional state is a good place to start.“If you’re a highly sensitive person, you’ll notice things other people miss and feel emotions more intensely. It’s a temperament which makes you thoughtful and intuitive, but there’s a price – you’re nervous system is kept in an over-stimulated state,” he said. Aside from feeling your emotions very intensely, you might easily internalise other people, sometimes struggling to tell them apart from your own.“Because you’re highly sensitive,” Banarsë added, “everything becomes magnified – a tiny shift in a friend’s tone of voice, a hint of tension in a group discussion, or a beautiful detail you spot walking in the park.“It’s a double-edged sword – highly sensitive people have extraordinary perception and empathy, but need to manage their energy carefully.”How can I tell if I’m becoming overwhelmed as a highly sensitive person?Because this personality type has their feelings on full volume, the therapist says, what some might class as “ordinary life” can cause burnout. This can be seen in your body first. “Notice if sudden sounds startle you, noisy environments or crowds drain you, or if you keep getting headaches. There’ll be emotional symptoms too – you might find yourself crying very easily, or getting irritated,” he advised.You might struggle to make what “should” be simple decisions or find yourself stuck in a loop of negative thoughts or obsessive worrying.“Socially, you might find yourself withdrawing – cancelling plans, staying in on your own, or glued to your social media feed, trying to get some relief from too much stimulation,” Banarsë continued. How can I handle overwhelm as a highly sensitive person?If all this sounds familiar, it’s time to start working with your personality rather than against it.Seek rest, establish boundaries, start slowly on new projects, and try to add breathing room into your social schedule, Banarsë suggested.“It can be really helpful to create a quiet, restful sanctuary at home, which you can retreat to replenish your nervous system. Make conscious choices about what actually nourishes you rather than activities that overwhelm you,” he shared with HuffPost UK.“Forget trying to keep up with the world’s hectic pace and consciously create rhythms that honour and respect who you naturally are,” the therapist ended. After all, “Being sensitive is a beautiful trait which allows you to live with depth, empathy, and a unique ability to notice the beauty in small things”.Related...Do You Have A 'Type C' Personality? Here's How To TellThe 1 Personality Difference You'll Notice More In Middle ChildrenDo You Have A ‘Type B’ Personality? Here’s How To Tell.

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