Hypersensitivity To External Stimuli

Sounds or strong smells, bright lights, crowds of people… These are examples of things that people with a hypersensitivity to external stimuli often have problems with.

The people who suffer from this are characterized by a high level of stress as a result of certain social, physical and emotional stimuli that are present in their immediate environment.

This is definitely not something that is just “in your mind.” Hypersensitivity to outside stimuli can actually affect a person’s productivity and even psychological stability.

John Dewey, a well-known American teacher and psychologist, believes that our well-being depends on how well we can adapt to social situations. Any change, minor irregularity or friction directly causes psychological and physiological instability.

For example, it is not pleasant to have to sit in a very hot room, as a result we adjust the temperature to our needs. Another example: if you walk alone down a dark, empty street at night and hear someone behind you, you feel threatened.

This stimulus signals your brain to respond: run, call for help, or turn around to confront the person behind you.

Example

If you suffer from a hypersensitivity to external stimuli, however, you react even more violently to your environment. Consider, for example, a situation with a large group of people (for example in the work environment) who actually all feel at ease, except for one person.

This person has a lower threshold when it comes to sounds. This person is more sensitive to conversations, to the office lighting, to the smells from the kitchen or dining room.

It is more difficult for this person to feel socially or physically comfortable in an otherwise perfectly comfortable work environment.

Why do some people suffer from hypersensitivity to external stimuli?

Hypersensitivity to external stimuli is by no means a new problem. Ecological psychology has been researching how we relate to our immediate environment for decades . We look at the effects of our environment on our bodies, minds and culture.

Authors such as Lazarus, Folkman and Cohen even developed a theoretical model explaining that this sensitivity is based on a set of very specific conditions.

Everyone has their own tolerance threshold for certain stimuli. These are mainly stimuli that we cannot control. Also, we often have not yet developed personal strategies to deal with it.

Introversion and hypersensitivity to stimuli

However, there are also approaches that take into account a person’s personality. As a result, and as an example, Harvard University was able to show that the brains of introverts are often more sensitive to outside stimuli.

On average, someone with an introverted personality type pays more attention to the day-to-day details. This attention often generates an overload when there are many stimuli from the environment.

This overload of stimuli, whether it be sounds, images or tangible things, then causes a higher level of stress and exhaustion in these people.

In addition, people with a hypersensitivity to external stimuli are often more sensitive to the emotions of others, and they more often suffer from fear, worry and nervousness.

They are able to pick up on the emotions of others quickly and cannot filter them. You could also call this emotional contagion.

What are some characteristics of a hypersensitivity to external stimuli?

One thing to remember is that not everyone who suffers from a hypersensitivity to external stimuli is affected to the same extent.

Some people will be more sensitive than others. Some people will be slightly more resistant to the psychosocial stimuli of their environment. Let’s take a look at some of the most common features:

• Uncomfortable when it comes to bright lights, loud noises and certain smells.
• Startled easily by sudden noises, such as a car braking, a door closing or a glass breaking.
• Not comfortable in situations with many people. They can be stressed in places where many things are happening at once (the television is on, lots of conversations, children playing, a telephone rings…)
• Highly sensitive people are often very affected when they see or hear bad news.
• It is also common for these people to become angry, sad or disappointed when they see or read how unfair or violent humanity can be.

• All of these emotions can be accompanied by physical problems such as headaches, fatigue or skin problems.

Ways to deal with a hypersensitivity to external stimuli

We now know what a hypersensitivity to external stimuli means. However, how do we deal with it? The best way to respond to it is not to avoid the sources of stress.

We do not have control over everything in our environment. For example, we have no influence on the noise of traffic. Nor can we ask people to stop talking or leave.

It is therefore impossible to create the ideal environment in which we never suffer from our hypersensitivity. Especially because most environments today are characterized by an enormous amount of stimuli and unpredictability.

So instead of focusing on external factors, we should focus on ourselves. There are ways to minimize the impact these stimuli have on our minds and bodies.

The best way to deal with hypersensitivity is to work on our emotional and sensory defenses against stimuli.

Techniques to manage your hypersensitivity

• Identify what are your sources of stress. Consider how you can defend yourself against it. (If the light is too bright, wear sunglasses. If the sound is too loud, consider wearing headphones or earplugs).
• Work on relaxation techniques or try to focus your attention elsewhere. For example, if you’re being too agitated by large groups of people, teach yourself to look at a solid object when you start to feel uncomfortable.
  • Whether it is a ceiling, a window, a painting or an advertisement on the street, just look at this object. As you focus, work on your breathing and try to relax.

• Give yourself regular breaks during the day . Sometimes all you need is five minutes an hour to relax your mind. Get up and walk around. Sit somewhere or give yourself a few minutes to meditate.
• Finally, to avoid emotional contagion, you need to learn to care less about others. Instead, begin to become more aware of what is going on inside you. Focus more on your own emotions and learn to protect yourself from the emotions of others.
  • Don’t let the emotions of others change how you feel. Do your best to remain calm no matter what is happening around you. And focus on your own mental state.

So…

In short, everyone is sensitive to their environment in one way or another. However, the goal is to be influenced as little as possible by these stimuli.

By finding ways to filter the stimuli and protect yourself from social contagion, you can prevent this hypersensitivity from affecting your productivity, efficiency, and emotional state. It’s all about finding the techniques that work for you.