This question came in from Adelina R.:
Chaya Grossberg, I have read in your blog about recovery in psychiatric meds:
-Highly Sensitive Body is produced by psychiatric drug medications, isn´t it?
-Highly Sensitive Body belongs only to a HSP…? HSP= High Sensitive Person
Are you a highly sensitive person and wondering if psychiatric meds could make your highly sensitive body worse?
Adelina R asks whether psych drugs cause HSP/hsb and here’s my surprising answer.
Dear Adelina and Chaya, and anyone who has ever been told “You are too sensitive,
We live in a world of over-diagnosing. There is much talk of HST and that’s just one more Diagnosis. It’s a phony diagnosis just like bipolar, only it’s a pop diagnosis, one that is big in the media. Sadly, folks picked up on it and it got all trendy. Sadly, it’s very cliquish and extremely addictive. Once you think you’re “highly sensitive,” it’s an extremely hard notion to get out of your head.
Even worse, as soon as you’re told just how sensitive you are, that is, as soon as some person in authority diagnoses you, which really is a terrible crime, drugs or no drugs, you’re hooked. You’re now going to overreact ten times worse than ever before. You’ll NOTICE it, too. You’ll tell all your friends, “This is because of my HST.” Do we see resemblance to the Mental Health System here? “This is because of my bipolar…..” Yep. See, it’s a diagnosis. Same thing. Drugs or no drugs.
Your mission is to drop the diagnosis. Unless you want to annoy everyone around you by overreacting all the time, then pointing out how privileged you are. As Szasz would say, mental illness gives people an excuse. It gave me one, too, I admit it. And I too, have a good chuckle over it all nowadays.
Hi Julie. You may be right! It’s complicated as I agree with you on one hand for sure but also do think there are archetypes and it can be helpful to understand our own tendencies. I will say more shortly!
Hi again Julie. I think you are right on one hand that identifying as “sensitive” can create a self fulfilling prophesy and can exaggerate status, class and other socioeconomic hierarchies where those lower on the scale are considered “hyper sensitive” while others may be just as sensitive but deal with it by domineering/dominating others, or just have more power to make decisions to suit their own sensitivities.
Are you saying that people shouldn’t identify with any descriptors and that anything we say to describe ourselves is basically a diagnosis? I do think some people actually are more sensitive to or even allergic to specific things, or get tired more easily, or need more or less sleep to feel good, or get sick more often or easily, or have literally thinner or thicker skin etc.
I think people are very very different, certainly. Some are sensitive to some things that others are not sensitive to, and vice versa.
in India, I believe, people react differently to certain colors of clothing. Is that a sensitivity? Gestures do not mean the same things in different cultures. Yes, people are different.
But while there are human differences, certainly different tastes, likes and dislikes, I really think if you spend too much time brooding over your oversensitivity, then I think it’s a problem. If that’s happening, then maybe you can choose not to think about it so much.
I DO have a noise problem. I hate noise, and I can’t tolerate TV noise. I have noticed this, and the only solution is to avoid it. This is inconvenient, meaning I can’t live near a TV. But the worst thing I can do is to think about it or call it a diagnosis or call myself disabled over it. I make sure noise ordinances are followed, and if they aren’t, I weigh the consequences, and usually tough it out.
Thanks Julie. I think you’re right in some cases. Yet I have found that being aware of my sensitivities and safeguarding myself from getting overwhelmed and overstimulated is often the best bet. There’s a difference in my mind between diagnosing and stigmatizing oneself and taking good care to protect oneself from overwhelm when there are tendencies towards feeling this way.
One of my teachers once said to me “you are very sensitive. You need to be around other sensitive people or your energy will be thrown off. ” This may sound stigmatizing but it actually really helped me to be aware of my needs and less likely to feel thrown off.
What do you say the same thing about toughing it out to a child? Or someone you consider to be severely disabled or ill? I believe sensitivity is a spectrum like all things and can be more extreme for some.
More controversially perhaps I do believe some people souls are actually more sensitive and less able to tolerate Soulless situations.
“It’s not your job to fit in.” Wish my mom had this insight when I was a teen and my symptoms began to really express themselves. This video is surprisingly a perfect description of me! My dad too, both of us diagnosed bipolar. Thank you for being here, I just subscribed.
Awesome, Thanks Jennifer.
Oh! I loved your video! I am 52 and I have lately begun putting words on that ‘being different’ from everyone else feeling. Most of my life, doctors tried to fix this out of me. I have tried all psychiatric drugs, I never could take them for long because they would make me worse from so many different side effects. Doctors would never believe that the pills made me sick and when I later developed fibromyalgia, it was even worse… and I was perceived as a lazy person who didn’t want to help herself and take her medication. I finally had enough of these people telling me it’s not ok to be ME (I was very patient, it took a long time!!!). I have entered into therapies, group supports, readings… and YES, I am a highly sensitive person, have always been since I can recall from early childhood memories, I do have a highly sensitive body and NO our society doesn’t understand this, especially in the medical field. This is why, as you said, it is so important to know and understand this and to learn to be kind and nurturing to ourselves. Being able to watch inspiring and comforting videos such as yours brings a wonderful feeling of connectivity! I’ll be looking to read more! Thank you!
Thanks so much for your comment Saturnie! I’m glad this viseo comforted and inspired you. Being highly sensitive is not always easy, but you are SUCH a gift to others, even when you don’t realize it. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Julie your insight challenges the cultural trend of embracing labels. Breaking free from diagnoses can indeed open up new possibilities for understanding and growth.
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When you realise that all of these traits are parts of your personality
Thank you for your video.
I am incredibly grateful and would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for providing such valuable information. I am optimistic that your future endeavors will continue to excite and amaze me.
It’s important to be cautious when considering psychiatric medications for individuals who identify as Highly Sensitive Persons.
Thank you for your video.Exactly what I was looking for
When considering psychiatric medications for individuals who identify as Highly Sensitive Persons, it is crucial to exercise caution.
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Excellent, thanks! That works well for people with special needs too!
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