Highly Sensitive People HSP Community Group
The highly sensitive person (or HSP) is someone who cares deeply about everything ... feels emotions with great intensity ... is highly conscientious ... has a rich and complex inner life ... is very intuitive ... is often creative in a variety of ways... is easily overwhelmed and/or overstimulated. A HSP needs lots of quiet time,space, and freedom. If this sounds...
Writing Fiction as Therapy
After reading a number of the discussion entries, I noticed that many HSPs are suffering from various problems or conditions. I can listen and be there, but personally I can’t offer qualified or specialized advice to you. I don’t know that being an HSP can make you any more susceptible to such diseases, disorders, or problems. However, it is obvious that if you are an HSP you might suffer more from the issue than most people. Also, being an HSP you might be more aware and more creative in how you approach the problem. The important thing is to be positive. But of course that has a risk. What if you try something and it doesn’t work? Well, get a fictitious version of you to try it first.
I have been doing a lot of writing lately and it seems to have a therapeutic effect on me. I would suggest that people, who want to understand themselves or improve their situation, experiment by trying the following.
Write a short fiction story about a character, similar to you with similar problems. Let this character really indulge in their suffering, but then try to help pull them out of it. Suffering makes for great fiction writing – as long as there is resolution. Remember this is fiction, NOT and autobiography. It is also a fantasy, so take your character and have them go through a magical voyage of self-discovery. Give him or her the courage that you might not have. Have them try things you might be afraid to try. Have them develop solutions to their problems that might inspire you. Getting wrapped up in the process of writing may help you distance yourself from the problem and see it from another perspective. Remember you’ll be writing fiction, and it’s not really about you, so what have you got to lose?
Then keep it to yourself for a while. Don’t share it right away. Reread it. Think about it. Can you understand your feelings better by writing about them? Is there anything in your character that inspires you? Is there anything that he or she did that you might be willing to try - maybe just one small change?
Rather than tell you how to do it, I wrote a short story: Ellen and the Flowers. You’ll find it as the next posted discussion item. Check it out.
Please post any comments here on my idea about writing fiction and post your ideas or reaction to my short story after that story.
After reading a number of the discussion entries, I noticed that many HSPs are suffering from various problems or conditions. I can listen and be there, but personally I can’t offer qualified or specialized advice to you. I don’t know that being an HSP can make you any more susceptible to such diseases, disorders, or problems. However, it is obvious that if you are an HSP you might suffer more from the issue than most people. Also, being an HSP you might be more aware and more creative in how you approach the problem. The important thing is to be positive. But of course that has a risk. What if you try something and it doesn’t work? Well, get a fictitious version of you to try it first.
I have been doing a lot of writing lately and it seems to have a therapeutic effect on me. I would suggest that people, who want to understand themselves or improve their situation, experiment by trying the following.
Write a short fiction story about a character, similar to you with similar problems. Let this character really indulge in their suffering, but then try to help pull them out of it. Suffering makes for great fiction writing – as long as there is resolution. Remember this is fiction, NOT and autobiography. It is also a fantasy, so take your character and have them go through a magical voyage of self-discovery. Give him or her the courage that you might not have. Have them try things you might be afraid to try. Have them develop solutions to their problems that might inspire you. Getting wrapped up in the process of writing may help you distance yourself from the problem and see it from another perspective. Remember you’ll be writing fiction, and it’s not really about you, so what have you got to lose?
Then keep it to yourself for a while. Don’t share it right away. Reread it. Think about it. Can you understand your feelings better by writing about them? Is there anything in your character that inspires you? Is there anything that he or she did that you might be willing to try - maybe just one small change?
Rather than tell you how to do it, I wrote a short story: Ellen and the Flowers. You’ll find it as the next posted discussion item. Check it out.
Please post any comments here on my idea about writing fiction and post your ideas or reaction to my short story after that story.
Yes I understand that sometimes, people can be so affected by their problems/illness that they can't function. I suppose it's all relative. I can only know what works for me and I cannot really know you or what might help.
Journaling has always been helpful to me, especially when there is no one there to listen. Recently I've gotten into writing fiction. Somehow that helps me go beyond myself.