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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Giget on June 10, 2003, at 7:52:00
Well I am back at work, after they allowed me to take 3 weeks off for "medical leave". I almost had a breakdown and was really screwed up.
But I found a wonderful theripist, who understood my situation from the first session. He has helped me out through the weeks. He diagonoised me a Highly Sensitative Person (HSP). Does anyone else know someone with this? It seems to explain me very well.The time off was the best thing for me, it kept me from going off the deep end. But it is hard to get back to work. They threw so much at me yesterday and I think that is the way it is going to be for a while. I don't know if I can handle a full time job now, but I have to live and society is run by money. What to do?? Is there any good jobs for HSP's that work with you?
Lots of questions but I can not be on the internet much now, so I had to get them all out at once.
Thanks,
Giget
Posted by Dinah on June 10, 2003, at 8:29:38
In reply to 2nd day back at work after mental leave, posted by Giget on June 10, 2003, at 7:52:00
Hi Giget,
It must be tough to be thrown back into work when you're still feeling fragile. Try to compensate by taking special care of yourself after hours. Is there any way to buffer yourself a bit at work? Closed doors or anything like that? Sensory input is very stressful to the Highly Sensitive Person. And a bit of planning goes a long way.
I don't think Highly Sensitive Person is a DSM IV diagnosis. It comes from the book "The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You" by Elaine Aron.
You'll find a number of HSP's here, but there is also a website at
http://www.sensitiveperson.com/
This is my second attempt posting this. I'm not sure where the first effort ended up. :) I'll be looking round the boards to see if it is floating around somewhere.
Good luck, and take care of yourself.
Posted by Miller on June 10, 2003, at 14:51:19
In reply to 2nd day back at work after mental leave, posted by Giget on June 10, 2003, at 7:52:00
Giget,
I went through the same thing in January/February. My job let me take 3 weeks. I had to take 4. (Long, ugly story.) There was no "grace period" when I came back. They piled the work on me as if I had never had a problem.
My only suggestion is to tell people "I understand this is important to you. However, I am swamped right now. I can' do it in the next couple of days if you can't find someone else to take care of it for you." It hasn't always worked, but it helped.
The main thing is to keep yourself from getting to stressed, emotional, or overwhelmed with it all. Speak up if you are. Nothing is more important than yourself right now. :)
-Miller
Posted by noa on June 10, 2003, at 19:01:08
In reply to Re: 2nd day back at work after mental leave » Giget, posted by Dinah on June 10, 2003, at 8:29:38
Hey, this HSP stuff sounds intriguing. I bookmarked the link you provided, Dinah, for later reading. Thanks.
Giget--congrats on returning to work. And I'm glad you found a good therapist. I read your post above (or was it on Psyco PB?) about male/femail therapists, etc.
Sending you encouragement and patience with your continued recovery!
Posted by Giget on June 11, 2003, at 7:07:53
In reply to Re: 2nd day back at work after mental leave, posted by noa on June 10, 2003, at 19:01:08
Thanks for the posts. I go to see my theripist tonight for a weekly visit.
I don't know if I am just being to careful or just worrying. But I am so afraid of falling into a relapse of my major depression, which took me out of work. I don't know if I can handle everything at work then add social on top of it.Like I said maybe I am just being to careful and worring....
> Hey, this HSP stuff sounds intriguing. I bookmarked the link you provided, Dinah, for later reading. Thanks.
>
> Giget--congrats on returning to work. And I'm glad you found a good therapist. I read your post above (or was it on Psyco PB?) about male/femail therapists, etc.
>
> Sending you encouragement and patience with your continued recovery!
Posted by mmcasey on June 11, 2003, at 10:12:32
In reply to Re: 2nd day back at work after mental leave » Giget, posted by Dinah on June 10, 2003, at 8:29:38
I don't like the idea of putting a label on it like that, especially in the way that turns personality characteristics into more of a diagnosis. But, with that said, I feel like a lot of those characteristics from the website do seem to fit me. Interesting stuff.
Posted by Giget on June 11, 2003, at 13:35:58
In reply to HSP, posted by mmcasey on June 11, 2003, at 10:12:32
I don't like the label any more than you do. Because of society we see sensitivity as a downfall, not a gift held by the few. At times I love it, and I am working through my false conception of it being a bad thing.
> I don't like the idea of putting a label on it like that, especially in the way that turns personality characteristics into more of a diagnosis. But, with that said, I feel like a lot of those characteristics from the website do seem to fit me. Interesting stuff.
Posted by mmcasey on June 11, 2003, at 13:50:42
In reply to Re: HSP, posted by Giget on June 11, 2003, at 13:35:58
I laughed when I saw that - Highly Sensitive Person. I mean, come on. How ridiculous is that? But I guess it's no different that "type A". People just are who they are... why classify like that? Just my thoughts.... I have real issues with labeling, not only mental illness but really just everything - gay, straight, bi, vegetarian, Christian.... I prefer to say "I don't eat meat" instead of "I am a vegetarian". It's the same with feelings (I learned this in DBT). Instead of saying "I am sad" which is sort of like a label meaning I = sad, they said that it's better to say "I feel sad" which makes it more of a temporary thing that just happens to be. I don't know if this really makes sense, I'm kind of going off....
Posted by noa on June 11, 2003, at 16:56:10
In reply to Re: 2nd day back at work after mental leave, posted by Giget on June 11, 2003, at 7:07:53
I have found that my recurrent depressive disorder has caused a lot of anxiety about relapse, not having control over it, etc. I'm better now at dealing with it, but there was a long time when I was so incredibly anxious and terrified of relapse. It was a big topic of discussion in therapy for me.
Depression can make us feel loss of control because of that sense that it could happen just when we let our guard down.
It is possible to find a way to feel more in control, but be patient with yourself. It takes time.
Posted by noa on June 11, 2003, at 16:57:45
In reply to Re: HSP, posted by mmcasey on June 11, 2003, at 13:50:42
Reminds me of the rule of resume writing--use action words.
Posted by Dinah on June 12, 2003, at 0:07:26
In reply to HSP, posted by mmcasey on June 11, 2003, at 10:12:32
In the book (I haven't really perused the website) she makes it clear that it isn't a negative thing. That it can be wonderfully positive. And that HSP's aren't any more likely to have emotional problems than anyone else. She just suggests that you keep your temperament in mind when structuring your life. And that you value yourself for who you are, and not try to fit yourself into the mold that our society seems to value at the moment.
Posted by noa on June 12, 2003, at 3:52:35
In reply to Re: HSP, posted by Dinah on June 12, 2003, at 0:07:26
It didn't strike me as negative, either. More of an acknowledgement that it is a legitimate variation to be sensitive. I think in our society, success is equated with not being too sensitive. But to balance things out, maybe we should label the other people with "Sensitivity Deficit Syndrome" or something?
Posted by mmcasey on June 12, 2003, at 8:44:49
In reply to Re: HSP, posted by noa on June 12, 2003, at 3:52:35
This is the end of the thread.
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