Sensitive

January 9, 2023
Granneman (The Secret Lives of Introverts) and Sólo, creators of Highly Sensitive Refuge online community for sensitive people, skillfully explore the misunderstood trait. Combining scientific research with anecdotes, Granneman and Sólo examine “what it really means to be sensitive,” consider its strengths and drawbacks, and outline coping mechanisms that sensitive people can use. While the trait is often associated with weakness, and stereotypes abound of sensitive people being easily offended or crying too much, the authors link sensitivity to increased empathy and creativity, and note that sensitive people have finely tuned observational and processing skills. Also, they posit, sensitive people tend to have advanced sensory intelligence (a close awareness of detail in one’s environment), though this can also result in overstimulation. The authors offer strategies for dealing with such moments, among them using “calming sensory input” to interrupt the body’s threat response (giving oneself a tight hug, for instance). The goal, Granneman and Sólo emphasize, is creating “a lifestyle that works for your sensitivity, not against it.” The authors’ argument is cogent and accessible, and they make clear ways readers can harness the trait without ignoring its challenges. This will empower readers to reframe their sensitivity as a strength.