i read a book! (#6): Highly Sensitive People in an Insensitive World - Ilse Sand
⚠️ Spoilers ahead!
About the Book
"What does it mean to be a highly sensitive person?" This book was written for highly sensitive people who live in an insensitive world, to discover more about who they are and how they can overcome some of the struggles common to HSP's such as low self-esteem and feeling things a bit more than the average person. It also explores the benefits that being highly sensitive can bring, and how it differs from introversion or just being shy.
my thoughts:
ever since i was little, i cried at everything.
well, actually, my mom said i never cried as a baby, but i guess something clicked when i was three and i began to learn more about the world.
i would cry when i got hurt physically, but also emotionally as well.
i couldn't take my friends teasing me even, and cried at the slightest diss.
even now as an adult, i cry when i get sad, angry, and hurt pretty easily.
reading this book was very validating for me.
i always thought of my sensitivity as a weakness, as a flaw.
but this book said what i was feeling was okay, and that there were more people like me.
the book mentioned a lot of commonalities between highly sensitive people, such as feeling overwhelmed in social situations, being overly empathetic, and feeling guilt and shame more than a typical person might, even when they don't need to.
however, being highly sensitive is different from being introverted.
apparently, around 30% of highly sensitive people are extroverted.
being highly sensitive just means that you feel more and feel deeper.
it was exciting to see the book describe exactly how i acted and how i felt, and helpful to be given tips directly for someone like me, who may take things in more.
although i enjoy talking to my therapist, sometimes the things she says or the way she says them can sting.
and sometimes, we need to feel that sting, because sometimes the truth hurts.
but there are moments when i feel that i wish she would say things differently because i am easily hurt and more easily affected.
the book mentions how many sensitive people struggle to find therapists who are a good fit for them because of situations such as mine.
if you feel that you are a highly sensitive person, i think it would be nice to read this book.
thank you for reading!