DANA:  Yes, I do see myself as a sensitive person, and I do think I’m wired differently than most people. I noticed it as a child, but I didn’t have a framework for understanding it. Growing up, I just wasn’t seeing a lot of similarities in the people around me, so I thought there was something wrong with me. But I recently discovered the book, The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron, and that book has helped me put it in perspective. Being a highly sensitive person (HSP) is a gift, but it can also be difficult to manage. For me, it’s a little like those times in childhood when you were upset about something and you’d have that lump in your throat from trying not to cry, and you’d be holding on for dear life, just trying to hold back the tears, and that lump would hurt so bad. Well, it’s sort of like that, although obviously, it’s much more complex and it changes over time as you age. But in a nutshell, it has to do with intense emotions, heightened awareness, and over-active empathy.

I have this recurring pain in my jaw that I know is related to my emotional sensitivities. I’ve also struggled with migraines my entire adult life, and those are definitely related to emotions and stress. As I said earlier, this kind of sensitivity can be difficult to manage, and I do believe that sensitive folks are more prone to certain body problems and pains. This is something that parents should be on the lookout for in their children, too. I say this because when I look back at my childhood and I remember the horrible things my parents would say to each other and how scared that made me—I know it affected me. It affected my outlook on life, how I developed, and how I learned to view myself.