Thank You Anita & Peter!

Anita, I very much appreciate your quires in my original post. Validating ones needs as well as ones intentions I feel is important if they are to become part of a “social community”. Like many ES folk, I have recently read about we often find ourselves wondering if we really belong anywhere, which rationally I know to be nothing more than a negative thought brought about by my “sensitive nature”. Still there are times when the stimulus of people sharing their stories can become so overwhelming that I personally feel responsible, even though, again rationally I know I an not.

Defining the difference between “thought” and “feeling” in a contextual aspect is easy. Where as thought is an idea or opinion produced by thinking or occurring suddenly in the mind. and feeling is an emotional state or reaction brought about by one or more of the human bodies senses (Sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell). My understanding of this, and please correct me if I am wrong, is when feelings generate an emotional thought in such a manor that these thoughts flood the mind and linger long after the stimulus (sensation) has been removed is where the story begins with ES people like my self.

Being ES, is not an illness, or a disability as much as it is a heighten sense of awareness. LOL, a so called “super power” if you will. Managing this “super power” is the challenge and I believe it needs a teacher. Although I have learned a great many things about my ES, being self taught, there are still a great many more I simply can not understand and therefore seek guidance.

My original self diagnosis pushed me toward a great many forums and even physiological therapies, however not really understanding what it was I was experiencing, I ended up in the wrong places making my ES come alive even more! So I have learned to be careful when approaching groups designed to assist people in life simply because, as an ES’er ones desire for assistance can be our Aconitum!

As there is no “illness” we are dealing with, there is no need for a cure! What I believe is required is an education in how to live a better life, a more productive life….and a more peaceful life as an ES’er. Certainly reading well crafted books is a start in understanding ES, but I am also certain, there are creative and positive experiences other ES’ers have that can be shared to assist their peers in reaching that goal of a great life……and that my Dear Anita is why I ask…..Is this a place for me?…..the answer I now believe is……It could be?….of course that’s my ES talking!

Bang on Anita!…Thank you!

Being selective in my (our, in reference to other ES’ers, if you’ll allow me) day to day interactions with people, real or virtual has truly become a way of life. Virtual often feeling far safer than reality.
It does however hold its surprises when suddenly we find ourselves in a place where that interaction far exceeds our ability to cope and it those times when the emotional sensations tend to overwhelm the rational thinking.
Trust me when I say, there is no place for abusive behavior in this forum or in life, for we are all people simply trying to find our way. Having people such as yourself interact with us in a safe and positive manor is exceptional indeed, and for that I thank you very much, I do however realize time, being yours, is extremely valuable and do my very best to limit my request for it. Therefore lets acknowledge that this forum is like a journal, with the intent of being able to write honest, yet positive thoughts with the possibility someone, be it yourself or others just might respond when they can, if that’s ok?

LOL, trust me when I say this, I have learned all too well to protect my self, and it is that “shield of protection” I believe has gotten out of control for it no longer just protect me, it isolates me!

What do I believe is the relationship between my “HS” and “anxiety”…… two very specific behaviors of People! Please allow me to emphasis that, its the behavior of people and not people them selves for I know all too well behaviors are created by circumstances. Like clothes people wear depending on the weather outside, so to can their behaviors change depending on the environment they face. Its the behaviors of lying, cheating, hurting and falsification first and foremost trigger my “ES”. Secondary to that are those that dwell in negativity, while doing their best to pull others into that dark world.

People that hold behaviors of honesty and sincerity and caring are ones I have absolutely no anxiety with, quite the contrary I enjoy being around them, conversing with them and can spend hours with them sharing stories of life. Sadly, my perception and experience of our world is there a great many more of the first and second group than there are of the third. So, in order to be able to “mingle” I feel I need a bigger tool box!…..how that?

Understood Anita, and again thank you!

“Mingle”…..lets loom at a box of “Smarties” as a reference, there are people out there that enjoy every flavors. and there are people out there that enjoy most flavors with the exception of a few however will not neglect the others, then there are those that will only find enjoyment with one flavor.
In life there are situations when we have the choice in picking the ones we want and there are situations when we need to accept all. Work verses play for example, in a working environment, we are forced to deal with the varying “flavors” of emotional state people present even those the taste is extremely fowl to us.
In play we carefully pick the ones that please us and therefore enjoy.

Having “a bigger tool box” is in reference to gaining emotional abilities or an understanding of developed skills in order to manage better our interaction with those we find challenging to our emotional sensitivity. Walking away is not a tool in this context, where as learning to rationalize the situation would be.

As an ES’er, I have come to learn the first tool I required was not just the knowledge, but the belief that being ES is not an illness or a flaw, but an asset. One that in reflection of my wild and crazy lifestyle has brought me huge success. Had it not been for my ES, I am very certain, I would not be here. Specifically I mean my nervous systems ability to react not only faster but more accurately in times of distress (not meaning in social events, but in lifestyle events), was the reason the outcome of a great many situations I found myself in turned out positive as apposed to negative.

In converse to that, although I feel I am well educated, and have gained a considerable amount of professional experience in my field of work, it is my ES that causes me problems when associating, or “mingling” with other less professional people in my work environment….