Wow! So much jam-packed into 12 minutes! I may not be on the spectrum, but I am 100% an HSP and always have been. My meltdowns as a young person were numerous, and I was frequently punished for them - both explicitly (timeouts; allowance withholding) and implicitly (but still damaging) by being labeled as "TOO sensitive" and "OVER dramatic". I wasn't allowed to express myself authentically because it made other people uncomfortable. Being punished for my sensitivity did not lead to more healthy expression. If anything, knowing that I would be punished made it more likely that my meltdowns would be extreme and my deep sadness, anger, and frustration would lead to take-no-prisoners outbursts of ALL OF THE FEELS. I also fixate on the poor way I handled emotional situations in the past. It's still a struggle to forgive myself for things I did/said years - and even decades - ago. It's hard enough to manage emotions as a child or young person, but throw in extra sensitivity and the pathologizing/"othering" of HSPs, and it will take us that much longer to find healthy outlets for safe expression and modulation. Theatre was also an outlet for me. I have long-recognized that (literally) having lines/knowing what to say/do was the only way I felt comfortable being the center of attention. And this video now makes me think that theatre was also a way to feel safe expressing emotions. If it was in the script, I could be angry or sad and yell or cry and I wouldn't be punished for it because it was what I was *supposed* to do. I'll be thinking more about this for a while!
Thank you so much for sharing Valerie! Omg yes having a script and knowing exactly what I'm supposed to do and say feels like a such a safe space and a reprieve from every day life!
Great video thank you again for sharing your journey with us.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Nicole!
Wow! So much jam-packed into 12 minutes! I may not be on the spectrum, but I am 100% an HSP and always have been. My meltdowns as a young person were numerous, and I was frequently punished for them - both explicitly (timeouts; allowance withholding) and implicitly (but still damaging) by being labeled as "TOO sensitive" and "OVER dramatic".
I wasn't allowed to express myself authentically because it made other people uncomfortable. Being punished for my sensitivity did not lead to more healthy expression. If anything, knowing that I would be punished made it more likely that my meltdowns would be extreme and my deep sadness, anger, and frustration would lead to take-no-prisoners outbursts of ALL OF THE FEELS.
I also fixate on the poor way I handled emotional situations in the past. It's still a struggle to forgive myself for things I did/said years - and even decades - ago. It's hard enough to manage emotions as a child or young person, but throw in extra sensitivity and the pathologizing/"othering" of HSPs, and it will take us that much longer to find healthy outlets for safe expression and modulation.
Theatre was also an outlet for me. I have long-recognized that (literally) having lines/knowing what to say/do was the only way I felt comfortable being the center of attention. And this video now makes me think that theatre was also a way to feel safe expressing emotions. If it was in the script, I could be angry or sad and yell or cry and I wouldn't be punished for it because it was what I was *supposed* to do.
I'll be thinking more about this for a while!
Thank you so much for sharing Valerie! Omg yes having a script and knowing exactly what I'm supposed to do and say feels like a such a safe space and a reprieve from every day life!
From an HSP I just wanna say... This! And you're a super star 🌟 Period!
😘 thank you!!
Lol I cried every time during The Goofy Movie and the other kids used to be so confused XD
Omg I'd wail during Snoopy Come Home and Follow That Bird!