Six Overwhelm Triggers for Highly Sensitive People
For sensitive souls, feeling overwhelmed can be a continual or reoccurring problem. One of the drawbacks of the blessing of being highly sensitive (HSP) is that the world can feel intense and overwhelming at times, even in ‘mundane’ situations when those around you are just fine.
This is because you are sensitive to the energy around you. Perhaps without realising, you are picking up on the emotions of others, the movement of energy in a space and as well as auditory or light impressions around you. You are sensitive to the vibrational information coming in all around that others simply are not unaware of - this is what can feel overwhelming, as it can feel bombarding and your nervous system becomes overloaded.
The beauty however is that once we start to understand and acknowledge our sensitive nature we can begin to make shifts that support and nourish us more deeply rather than deplete us. So here are some classic overwhelm trigger's for Empaths and what you can do in response to support yourself:
1. Sensory Overload
To highly sensitive people and empaths sensory input can feel overwhelming at times. You can feel highly sensitive to both light and sound.
Loud or mild sound in a space might feel challenging or excruciating at times. This can feel distressing, overwhelming or frustrating as you want to escape but maybe can’t - especially if like me you have a toddler and are around small children.
Bright light might feel intense for you and can very quickly lead to headaches, migraines or eye pain making you feeling nauseous or faint. Leaving you unable to concentrate. Even at night any slight light might feel intrusive or disturbing, preventing you from sleeping.
Solution
Get into the habit of carrying sunglasses, a hat, eye mask and sensory earplugs. These are quick low-tech and inexpensive solutions which can really make a difference or at least take the edge off. If you don't love wearing hats like I do, sunglasses are easy to fit into your bag and can stave off a headache or eye pain. If I get caught out I have paracetamol for ease. When I’m away I use an eye mask with a wire on the bridge of the nose which is even more effective to shut out the light as well as night time ear plugs, you can also get weighted eye masks, which I’ve not tried. I'm in love with sensory earplugs which I use periodically during the day when needed. They are fantastic for dialing down the auditory input and surviving noisier spaces when you have to inhabit them - whether it's a family party, the gym or soft play!
2. Crowded Places
Crowded spaces can be particularly draining for Empaths, not only due to the auditory overload but due to the ‘noise’ of people's emotions which can feel very draining. It's like being bombarded with unseen information which uses up a lot of energy. So experiences like festivals, or train stations, or conferences can feel particularly depleting for a highly sensitive person as you can feel the emotions of others around you - even if you’re not completely aware of it.
Solution
Plan downtime. If you know a particular situation is draining for you but you still want to do it or it's unavoidable, it's important to plan rest and downtime to recuperate your energy. Be realistic and listen to your needs, you’ll feel better for it.
3. Work Environments
I remember I would come home from work feeling absolutely smashed, unable to talk as I felt so drained from work and not because of the job. Being in the office with people completely unplugged me - the constant need to talk, answer the phone, be available for when someone has queries, be on a screen, using energy to try to concentrate in a noisy environment - just being around people, for me, was incredibly draining (I was in project management). It can become even worse if you are dealing with difficult colleagues or clients. Does this sound familiar to you?
Solution
Make a change - this might be subtle, an extra day working from home or more dramatic, retraining, but listen to that need, as you will boost your energy when you do. For example, by my late 20s I knew I had to make a change because I just couldn't function. I had to find another way to work - but I didn’t know how. Luckily I was drawn to Shiatsu, to begin with, as I could work quietly, mindfully, in a still space and one to one. My work’s evolved now and I have chosen to work one to one using EFT (utilising my sensitivities). I can do this via zoom at home to manage my energy levels and my boundaries - all based on my Empath needs.
4. Travel
Fast movement can take its toll on an Empath, as there is so much input coming in whether you cycle, are in a car, on a train or plane. Again you're often encountering large groups of people as well as experiencing the vibrational impact of fast movement on your system. When you're highly sensitive your nervous system can register this as 'shocking' as it might feel too overwhelming, distressing or at least discombobulating. It might feel a bit like being thrown into a tombola and spun around.
Solution
It could be useful to ask yourself what changes you can make if travel feels like it negatively impacts you. Perhaps by reducing the number of long journeys or commutes you make if you can. Again if you have long journeys try to plan down time afterwards, for example I will always schedule rest in my diary if I make a trip to London. To help you ground after a journey, if you are staying overnight and have a car, throw in your weighted blanket. I absolutely love mine, as it's incredibly grounding particularly if you are not at home.
5. Depleted by people
Being around people can be particularly draining for Empaths as we are sensitive to the emotions of others and often feel what they're feeling in our own bodies. Somatic empathy is something we all experience, however if you are highly sensitive it can be easy to become absorbed by the emotions of others which can be both draining and overwhelming.
Therefore situations such as the demands of parenting, intense arguments, listening to a struggling friend or even sleeping next to a partner for Empaths can feel exhausting as you feel their struggle, pain and emotions intensely at times, perhaps without knowing it - you just feel drained.
Solution
Alone time and space is important for Empaths, even extroverted ones! It’s that simple but you need to prioritise it in your life if you find it helps you. However I realise this can feel more complicated if achieving more solo time means changing the dynamic and expectations of a relationship (intimate or familial) in terms of time spent together.
When it came to explaining this to loved ones, I found I needed to be honest and communicate my experience of the world as a sensitive person to them which took a bit of courage. So they understood that my need to be alone was no reflection on them or of my love for them which also took time to sink in. Then it required self-awareness on my part to recognise and know my limits - so I knew when I needed to take myself off to read alone or go for a walk solo to boost my energy again or to stave off overwhelm. It all takes practice.
But now, very sweetly, even my family recognises when I'm looking depleted or I’m struggling, and will quietly suggest I go take myself off to be alone. They can see when I come back I feel better, I'm happier and can enjoy being with them again. Everyone wins. Plus it gives others permission to own what they truly need too.
6. You are built differently
You are built differently as a highly sensitive person, therefore need to live differently. It doesn't mean you need to shut yourself off from the world. But it is important to develop a more acute sense of self-awareness and to begin to establish practical, healthy boundaries that support and nourish your well-being, that protect and honor you.
It's never fruitful to compare yourself to others and what they are capable of and what you struggle with, because they are not you and they do not share your gift of sensitivity either. It is wiser to recognise your needs and heed them - as when you do you will begin to have more energy, feel more resilient, have more internal space and can learn to use your gifts of intuitive sensitivity in your life more effectively as you’re not feeling overwhelmed.
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