How to navigate sensory overload and trauma as a highly sensitive person

Empaths and highly sensitive people "aren't just open to trauma. They're open to everything, and it can feel traumatic when you're young and don't have any guidance." - Dr. Judith Orloff

"Our nervous system is picking up more information, receiving information that others don't, feeling things that others don't, which means sometimes having an uncontrollable body response to imperceptible changes in the environment." - Dr Aimie Apigian

In this excerpt from her biology of trauma podcast (episode #102 Strategies for Empaths: How to Navigate Sensory Overload, Shame & Trauma), trauma recovery physician Aimie Apigian talks with empathic psychiatrist Judith Orloff about some of the many aspects of being exceptionally responsive to emotions and sensory information for those of us who have a highly sensitive nervous system.

Dr Orloff says "I love being an empath. Yes, it has its challenges but so what? Everything has its different challenges."

She adds that being highly sensitive, "You get to feel everything. I get to feel the flowers, feel nature, I get to feel deep love and connection with people. I get to be in touch with the mystery and you know the the gorgeousness of Life on such a deep level."

Escaping an angry, bullying, bossy person

In the podcast, Dr Orloff recalls she was "in a situation recently with a group and this woman was trying to make a point and she got very authoritarian and loud and bullying and bossy.

"It was on a zoom call and I was supposed to be part of this meeting and I'm feeling, This isn't acceptable to me, and so I just told everyone have to leave."

See the Creative Mind Audio post for more, including links to resources:
How to navigate sensory overload and trauma as a highly sensitive person
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