Blog Post 84: Type C + Highly Sensitive
What happens when Type C people are also highly sensitive? As defined by Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, high sensitivity means being “more aware than others of subtleties, mainly because one’s brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply. Highly sensitive people are also more easily overwhelmed. If you notice everything, you are naturally going to be overstimulated when things are too intense, complex, chaotic, or novel for a long time.”
No one likes to feel pain - physical or emotional - but highly sensitive people feel it more intensely, go to extreme lengths to avoid it, and tend to ruminate more on it. This manifests in avoiding conflict and working hard to avoid or suppress painful feelings - actions that certainly intersect with Type C traits.
Are all Type C people highly sensitive? We don’t know, but we certainly know plenty who struggle with both. This fits the bill for me (Anna) - I am easily overwhelmed and have had sensory processing issues since childhood. I react strongly to stimuli like bright lights, loud sounds, and clutter; I have difficulty processing and organizing a lot of stimuli at once. As a child, I felt emotions more intensely than my peers, especially embarrassment/shame (and still do!) I (Kore) have some highly sensitive patients who report a more extreme response to medicine, vaccines, their menstrual cycle, and managing emotions.
For people with Type C traits who feel uncomfortable thinking of their own needs or making time for themselves, high sensitivity can compound feelings of discomfort and guilt. It’s important to be aware that many people are highly sensitive (an estimated 15% to 20% of the world’s population), so this is normal and brings many strengths. There are costs, however, for those that neglect their own needs in more extreme ways.
Our advice for those who struggle with both is to be aware that highly sensitive people need downtime - it’s healthy to take time away in quiet and peaceful settings, away from stimuli. We also must notice what we are doing to avoid painful emotions and notice the cost. If we are feeling overwhelmed, we must notice it and normalize it. We can also work on increasing our ability to tolerate pain - emotional and physical. Sometimes we may feel physical pain that we can’t alleviate; we may also have to sit with difficult emotions.
And as always with any of these recommendations - it’s best to start small, simple and easy. It can be helpful to build strength and stamina in our physical body which can carry over to a stronger mind - becoming stronger can make us feel tougher all around.