How can I help a Highly sensitive friend?

[Moreira]

For those who dont know what is a HSP highly sensitive person, here's a read very well explained:

https://bookofresearch.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/the-highly-sensitive-person-hsp/

 

The thing is, one of my best friends is a girl very senisitive that is struggling to have a normal life and do things that everybody can do.

The aspect which she's having a bad time is the job. Whenever she is in a job where the environment gets too agressive, pressure, or the boss tells her she did something wrong, she gets very depressed and sad.

Also she worked face to public time ago, the good thing is sensitive people are very empathic and is easy for them to know how others feel. But this turns bad when she had to face some rude customers, disrespectful, and angry people. When somebody wouldnt even care she gets smashed and suffers a lot.

I wouldnt change her trying to make her tought or "dont give a shit" because theres nothing wrong with her and I apprecieate the way she Is.

recently I recommended her the life purpose course. Which kind of jobs would be suitable for this kind of persons?

Also would like to hear opinions of "actualizers" that are HSP and how they cope with life. Thanks.

[ajasatya]

i wouldn't make suggestions such as meditation, diet, life purpose course etc. instead, i'd try to help her find motivation to go through a transformative process. if she succeeds, she will deliberately choose her own path.

[Dumb Enlightened]

On 20/02/2019 at 5:06 PM, Moreira said:

For those who dont know what is a HSP highly sensitive person, here's a read very well explained:

https://bookofresearch.wordpress.com/2015/02/28/the-highly-sensitive-person-hsp/

 

The thing is, one of my best friends is a girl very senisitive that is struggling to have a normal life and do things that everybody can do.

The aspect which she's having a bad time is the job. Whenever she is in a job where the environment gets too agressive, pressure, or the boss tells her she did something wrong, she gets very depressed and sad.

Also she worked face to public time ago, the good thing is sensitive people are very empathic and is easy for them to know how others feel. But this turns bad when she had to face some rude customers, disrespectful, and angry people. When somebody wouldnt even care she gets smashed and suffers a lot.

I wouldnt change her trying to make her tought or "dont give a shit" because theres nothing wrong with her and I apprecieate the way she Is.

recently I recommended her the life purpose course. Which kind of jobs would be suitable for this kind of persons?

Also would like to hear opinions of "actualizers" that are HSP and how they cope with life. Thanks.

My wife is just like this, just yesterday she was crying a lot because of something that happened to her at work, if was I in her place I wouldn't give a fuck, and I was thinking about how to help her, I will try to slowly introduce self-help to her, and make her work on these issues, I think it is an internal work, there's some belief that she has that makes her this way, even the belief that she is a sensitive person can be causing all these reactions to an external situation, but if the person is not willing to change there is nothing to be done besides trying to avoid this external situation that will trigger those reactions.

[Advocate]

@Moreira I am a HSP, too, but only found out about it about a month ago. Finally, I could understand why I was different than the others, why life was such a struggle, and why forcing myself to be tough actually makes things worse.

From what I understand, emotional (and physical) healing is the most important part for an HSP, if you want to go anywhere in life. If this part isn't in place, then it seems almost impossible or at least terribly painful to do all the hard work associated with a Life Purpose. So, I'll take a year or so off to heal my wounds, ideally somewhere where the weather is nice and the cost of living is low  

Something like this would be probably a good idea to consider for your friend. As a first aid for all the crippling emotions though, I'd definitely recommend practising the Sedona Method.

Edited March 31, 2019 by Advocate

[Elisabeth]

As with any other person - it's really hard to help them, if they are not willing to help themselves. You can't change, you can just be there to answer questions she might have.

HSP isn't that special, it's 10 or even 20 percent of the population. She can find her way. 

Also, HSP can overlap with other psychological and psychiatric problems, so she does have to do some regular self-actualizing work (perhaps a lot of it).

I don't think a job can be recommended solely by being HSP. The life-purpose course may be a good choice. 

What I find most important with high sensitivity, what I would tell her is, DO take discomfort seriously. Those limits are real, although other people don't have them.  It's ok to honor them. It's ok to seek and create for yourself the most favorable of circumstances. But then also, some limits won't necessarily to stay where they are, as you as a person expand 

Edited March 31, 2019 by Elisabeth

[Pallero]

Hi! It's nice to hear that you want to support your friend. The Life Purpose course is a good idea.

 

On 20.2.2019 at 10:06 PM, Moreira said:

Which kind of jobs would be suitable for this kind of persons?

It really depends on the person. I took this following list from a HSP Facebook group where HSPs report what kind of education they have or what kind of work they enjoy. Apologies if some don't make sense. I'm translating them from Finnish.

 

• Mental health (social worker)
• Early childhood education (some HSPs love this, some hate this)
• Visual design
• Online content creation
• Horse and dog masseuse
• Teacher
• Psychology
• Social pedagogy
• Song writer
• Social worker with elderly people
• Masseuse/therapist/ayurveda coach
• Musician
• Developing your own child raising method and writing a book about it
• Nurse
• Psychiatrist
• Bus driver
• Graphic design
• Spiritual business (energy work, card readings etc)
• Gardening
• Horseback riding teacher
• Writer
• Creative business (jewelry, card making etc)
• Library worker
• Personal assistant for elderly people
• Sports coach
• Animal care worker
• Holding workshops for disabled people
• Artist
• et cetera

 

I am HSP. I took the LP course and I am now studying to become an art therapist.

These are just a few examples. What's really important for her is to follow her own calling.

You might want to check out this blog post, although there are many articles written on this subject. Just google "Highly sensitive person job" or "career": http://sensitivity-hsp.blogspot.com/2010/07/work-that-works-for-sensitive-souls-six.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR029JsOLXRi1ZO-1KI5LHGtkgUkTw71Ac_o_hHlZcNCiR-fu0kZ3IXXkh4

Highly sensitive people are reflecting the collective subconscious needs. They are very important. It's absolutely critical that HSPs get empowered and comfortable with showing their sensitivity freely. The world needs it.