Is there a difference between being highly sensitive and having a sixth sense?
What is highly sensitive and is it the same as having a sixth sense? And how do you know if you are highly sensitive or if you have a highly sensitive child? Highly sensitive children and new age children will look a lot alike at first glance. But not every new age child is highly sensitive, and not all highly sensitive are new age children. Although, a combination of both is not exceptional. That doesn't always make it easy to know what you're dealing with right now.
Highly sensitive or a new age child?
The dividing line between high sensitivity and being a new-age child is therefore thin. Sometimes there are overlaps, making it seem like your child has a sixth sense and is therefore a new age child. But there are things that are definitely different.
The differences can be explained with a few examples:
• Emotions
Both experience emotions very intensely. But the difference is that a highly sensitive child is quite emotional anyway. These children are more likely to be sad or cry at a emotional movie or story and they can empathize very well with the feelings of another.
A new age child is also sensitive to the emotions of others, but in that case actually takes over the emotion of the other person. So it may well be that they look very sober at a sad film. But if they, for example, encounter someone who feels very lonely, they perceive that emotion and they can - literally - put themselves into it.
• Like to be alone
Because highly sensitive people are so vulnerable in experiencing the emotions and impressions of their immediate environment, they may strongly prefer to be alone. Away from all the crowds, noise and other restless factors.
New age children will not need this in the same way. Of course, if they can't close themselves off well enough to the sightings, they sometimes prefer to avoid the crowd. But this will be less frequent than in a highly sensitive child and for another reason.
• Taste experience
Highly sensitive people experience flavors more intensively. Sweet, sour, salty... Where normally these flavors serve as support, highly sensitive people can taste this as the only ingredient and that can affect the entire meal.
New age children only taste a deviant ingredient if it has a purpose. For example, if there is something in the food that is spoiled, but that cannot be tasted due to processing, this spoiled taste will stand out to them so that they can still identify it.
• Sounds
As with emotions, it is a fact that some highly sensitive people cannot handle certain sounds. These can be loud noises, but also repetitive sounds. Or a persistent whisper in the corner of the classroom.
New age children also do not like loud noises. But it won't "get under their skin" like someone who is highly sensitive.
• Nature
Both highly sensitive and new-age children feel comfortable and at ease in nature. This is partly due to the fact that there are generally no outside influences in nature. No people, cars or noises that disturb the balance and tranquility.
In addition, both value and respect plants and animals because they both realize that nature is a precious thing.
The difference between highly sensitive and a sixth sense
There are also a number of examples where you can say that highly sensitive children suffer from, and new-age children in principle do not. You can think of:
• Difficulty understanding and processing information
Highly sensitive children like to take time before make time to think about things. They want to understand well, or they want to think carefully before making a decision.
• Difficulty setting own boundaries
This actually speaks for itself. Highly sensitive people like to serve other people and not hurt them. As a result, they tend to efface themselves.
• Being extremely perfectionist
Highly sensitive people demand results that are in some ways unattainable. There is also a good chance that if this self-imposed result is achieved, they are still not getting satisfaction from it.
• Clothing
Clothing labels are a good example of what a highly sensitive child can experience, but which a new age child will not be bothered by. Highly sensitive children often do not tolerate the labels of clothes on their bare skin. It irritates them so much that it has to be removed from the garment. A new age child will generally not be sensitive to that, it may not even notice it.
The daily life
There are of course different nuances of sensitivity, one being more sensitive than the other. Everyone is different, everyone reacts differently. The examples we mention here are therefore guidelines to give you a first idea.
Society generally has little time or understanding for the behavior of highly sensitive people. They do not fit in with general societal expectations: speed, competitiveness or the "no time" and "little understanding of each other" attitude.
People who are highly sensitive especially have difficulty with over stimulation in the environment. Those who are not highly sensitive will pay little or no attention to these stimuli. Others may not even notice. For example, a highly sensitive child may have problems with over stimulation in the classroom and in groups. This leads to fatigue, irritation, stress and lack of concentration. Or the child gets very upset about things that other people don't consider important.
What can I do?
Not everyone who is highly sensitive needs help to deal with this. But sometimes there can be a period when it all gets too much. Or you just want more rest for your child (or for yourself if you are highly sensitive) in order to participate more easily in daily life.
It is not recommended to seek therapy to suppress it, it is better to seek professional help to learn how to deal with it.
In any case, there are a few things to keep in mind:
• Believe your child;
• Make sure your child gets enough food and sleep;
• Explain difficult situations to your child to help him or her understand why things are a certain way to happen;
• Set limits, including your child's own expectations ('we eat the cheese before we buy jam');
• Stick to your child's normal routine and pay attention to situations that your child is not normally used to, or where it can be overstimulated. For example, explain why you want your child to be present during the visit, while your child is at home that moment prefers to be alone;
• Give your child the space to find solutions to problems on their own, so that he or she feels comfortable with new or unusual situations.
Can JinKei help with this?
It is not possible for us to give a general solution on how to deal with high sensitivity. We just want to give guidelines and inform you how a highly sensitive person can be. A Reiki consultation can bring peace, but we are not specialized in high sensitivity. However, if you have a new age child, or are yourself, we can do more for you.
If you doubt whether your child is indeed highly sensitive, or whether there is a chance that your child is a new-age child, you can contact us. We give you clarity and help you and your child deal with the challenges of everyday life.
But even if you have questions and doubts as an adult, or if you want to know whether there is a solution to the problems you encounter in this regard, you are also welcome in our practice.