High Sensitivity and Anxiety: Causes and Coping Strategies

Understanding Anxiety in Highly Sensitive People

Do crowded noisy rooms easily overwhelm you? Do you find yourself avoiding violent movies or distressing news? Do you startle easily and struggle with nerves or worries? You may be part of the estimated 15-20% of people considered highly sensitive.

Defining the Highly Sensitive Person

The term highly sensitive person (HSP) refers to individuals thought to have a hyperresponsive central nervous system and more acute sensory processing. HSPs tend to notice sights, sounds, smells, touches, tastes, energy levels, emotions and other stimuli much more strongly than average.

This innate sensitivity is considered an inborn genetic trait observed across humans and over 100 animal species. It likely evolved as an adaptive advantage to promote awareness and caution, contributing unique perceptual and analytical skills to communities.

Key Signs of High Sensitivity

Key characteristics and behaviors separating HSPs from non-HSPs include:

• Becoming easily overwhelmed by busy noisy environments
• Startling more readily at surprises
• Struggling to tune out background stimuli and distractions
• Disliking violent or distressing entertainment
• Feeling bombarded by social interactions and events
• Noticing subtle physical sensations more acutely
• Picking up on others' moods and energy more effortlessly

The Link Between High Sensitivity and Anxiety

Sensory Processing Differences

A key piece of high sensitivity is taking in sensory data much more intensely. Loud noises feel explosive, touches seem invasive, lights appear blinding. Even small irritations like clothing tags or food textures feel abrasive.

For HSPs, daily life involves near constant sensory overload. Battling this overwhelm triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, flooding systems with cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones.

Emotional Permeability

Highly sensitive people also tend to absorb others’ emotions readily through facial expressions, energies, tones of voice and body language. Walking into a room full of anger or anxiety instantly presses those feelings upon HSPs.

This contagious taking on of emotions also continually activates the body’s stress responses, keeping HSPs in a near constant state of distress.

Greater Rumination Tendency

Moreover, highly sensitive persons’ detail-oriented minds have a penchant for excessive rumination and rehashing. HSPs agonize over conversations, interactions and events long afterwards, analyzing themselves and others’ behaviors.

This cognitive spin cycle also triggers physiological anxiety reactions, prolonging arousal states for extended periods long after incidents occur.

Anxiety Disorder Risks for Highly Sensitive People

Due to overwhelming sensory inputs, infectious emotions and endless rumination tendencies, HSPs often struggle immensely with anxiety, nerves and worry.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

In particular, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) runs rampant among highly sensitive populations. GAD involves near constant nervousness, tension, irrational fears and uncontrollable thoughts about everyday troubles big and small.

For HSPs, GAD often centers around handling daily sensory input, meetings with friends, changes in schedules or routines, presentations at work and more. Simple life events and interactions feel loaded with landmines to anxious HSPs.

Social Anxiety

Additionally, social anxiety plagues many highly sensitive persons. Gatherings with unfamiliar people prove intensely intimidating. Even friendly meetings with close confidantes feel draining and stressful at times.

HSPs often replay past get-togethers for hours afterwards, berating perceived awkward behaviors and analyzing conversations for hidden judgments or relationship threats.

Agoraphobia

Sensory overload issues also feed agoraphobic avoidance of public spaces, openness and crowds among some HSPs. Necessary trips to the mall or grocery store require extensive mental preparation to face all the loud music, fluorescent lights, strong scents and humans brushing past in lines.

The inability to escape or control such stimuli bombardment when outside the home breeds severe anxiety and apprehension about leaving protected spaces for many highly sensitive agoraphobes.

Coping Strategies for Sensitive People Prone to Anxiety

While high sensitivity often predisposes people to wrestle with anxiety issues throughout life, targeted coping strategies help sensitive folks thrive.

Set Clear Boundaries

Limiting social commitments, scheduling alone time for recharging sensory systems, turning off notifications during focus hours and saying no to non-essential sensory input establishes essential boundaries.

Make Time for Self-Care

Critical self-care practices like getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious anti-inflammatory foods, exercising, enjoying nature and engaging relaxing hobbies bolster resilience against anxiety.

Learn Cognitive Reframing

Identifying and reversing unhealthy thought patterns via cognitive behavioral therapy builds vital mental habits. This minimizes fixation and rumination on anxiety-provoking thoughts.

Try Supplements and Herbs

Some highly sensitive people find relief from anxious overwhelm using supplements like Omega-3s to improve nervous system functioning or adaptogens like ashwagandha to regulate stress responses.

Consider Prescription Medication

For debilitating anxiety interfering with daily activities, prescription medications often provide lifesaving intervention. Sensitive folks tend to metabolize drugs differently, so close provider monitoring ensures optimal benefits.

While expressing sensitivity differently and facing unique challenges, embracing support strategies nurtures HSPs anxieties compassionately so their gifts shine bright.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.