The Highly Sensitive Person or the HSP Sensory Nervous System (Part 2 of 2)

1 - HSP sensory nervous system.

An ultra-sensitive nervous system susceptible to overarousal from stimuli, either too much or too little (bored), including physical pain internally and over processing cognitively (analyzing and trying to solve a problem or wrestling with an emotional issue or a fear). This is not the same as an anxiety disorder; an HSP's greatest "anxiety" would be fear of becoming overaroused.

2- Chronic stress on (overarousal of) the sensory / nervous system begins.

3- The demand for Cortisol increases.

4- The cortisol production system becomes fatigued and exhausted (hypothalamus, pituitary, ACTH production, adrenal glands) (2). The ability to buffer overarousal decreases (2).

5- Cortisol levels decrease, and possibly, an imbalanced ratio between dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and cortisol takes place (2).

6- A moderate decrease in glucose utilization by the cells begins (1). Muscle and joint fatigue develops. The normal anti-inflammatory benefits of cortisol diminish (1), causing muscle and joint aches and pains. Low potassium levels develop.

7- The entire body now feels fatigued, exhausted, overwhelmed, unable to cope with more overarousal, painful, and rapidly approaches shut down (transmarginal inhibition --Ivan Pavlov).

8- Immune system support for the body diminishes.

9- Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (6), Gulf War Syndrome, 20th Century Syndrome or MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Adrenal Exhaustion, and Hypoglycemia begin to set in, along with an increase in cravings for carbohydrates (when we are tired and exhausted, we crave carbohydrates). The digestion system (including the muscles) becomes too exhausted, because of a lack of energy, to properly digest food and properly move the food through the intestines (gas and bloating occurs). A liquid diet seems like the only food (least dense food) that the system can tolerate.

10- Reduced overarousal from stimuli is sought out, which can include avoidance behaviors as a defense against overarousal. Extreme fear of overarousal develops; anxiety, depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, somatoform disorder.

11- This might explain why very few traditional medications for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, somatoform disorder, have any affect on reducing the symptoms. The problem was overarousal from stimuli and a decreased ability to cope with (and buffer) overarousal. This also might explain why a reduction in stimuli impacting the sensory / nervous system (similar to R.E.S.T. -- Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) reduces the symptoms.

CLICK FOR RELATED CONTENT

  Have your say! Comment in our forums.

  Insight Journal Monthly Health and Wellness Newsletter

  Wellness concerned? Find out what you can do to promote       your wellness everyday!

  Got questions? We’ve got answers. Get expert insights here.

Anxiety and Depression: Breakdowns in the 7 Aspects of Wellness

Conclusion

Society continues to create more and more opportunities for sensory system overarousal each year. Advertisers are determined to create more arousing television commercials, movie theater advertising, in-store audio and visual advertising, and road-side signage to "grab our attention." In other words, make more light (brighter and more vivid colors), sound, noise, and motion. Traffic continues to increase, also adding more opportunities for sensory system overarousal. Music systems (noise making systems) are everywhere now in both stores and hospital waiting rooms. Televisions are everywhere too, such as in bars (usually multiple sets), medical clinics, car dealerships, etc. Peace and quiet (for both visual and audio) is rapidly being replaced by and onslaught of aggressive audio and visual stimuli.

I do not believe that the human primate (5) sensory system was designed to handle this increased potpourri of more light (brighter and more vivid colors), sound, noise, and motion (or commotion) and eventually non-HSPs will be effected and also become casualties. Civilization has created an abnormal amount of stress on our species (opportunities for overarousal) and instead of reducing those opportunities for overarousal, develops new toys and drugs (money makers) to keep us going within these environments of higher and increased levels of incoming stimuli. That's not an answer or a fix; nor should we allow it to be.

People experiencing symptoms of symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, 20th Century Syndrome or MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Adrenal Exhaustion, and Hypoglycemia might find answers and benefit by taking the HSP test designed by Dr. Elaine Aron for High Sensitive People (www.hsperson.com). They might also find answers and benefit by having their cortisol level, cortisol to DHEA ratio, and the functioning of their adrenal glands checked.

The important issue to realize here is sensory / nervous system overarousal (not anxiety). Reducing "overarousal" is what we have been traditionally calling, "reducing anxiety."

(1) Guyton and Hall. Textbook of Medical Physiology. Tenth Edition. W.B. Saunders Company. 2000.
(2) Dr. Ralph Golan M.D. Optimal Wellness. Wellspring/Ballantine. September 1995.
(3) Rand Health. Alternative Therapies May/June 2002. Vol. 8. No. 3. Biofeedback Interventions For Gastrointestinal Conditions: A Systematic Review.
(4) U.S. News and World Report (magazine). February 28 2005. The Secrete Mind. How Your Unconscious Really Shapes Your Decisions.
(5) Discover (magazine). February 2005. Vol. 28 No. 2. Breakthrough. Testing Darwin. Scientists at Michigan State Prove Evolution Works.
(6) The National Center for Infectious Diseases. CDC - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. September 18, 2003. www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/info.htm.

Continue Reading Part 1 of This Article

Author: Clint Clark
Website: http://www.hsperson.com/