Answering HSP Questions

My Sensitive Empowerment Community has become a beautiful, supportive,  loving family of HSPs from all over the world.  We share our experiences, connect, make friends, and support each other daily. I also offer weekly live events. I'm sharing the audio from one of our events in hopes it helps you too.  This was our 57th event and all previous events have been recorded and are available to all members. Get the link to join our loving HSP family at www.juliebjelland.com 

Here are some of the questions we covered in today's event. 

• I would like to understand more about being HSP and being empathic.  Are they one in the same or are there differences between the two?   
• I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to handle the fear of "disappointing/hurting" someone when you say no or need to correct them on something?
• I’m wondering how many HSP’s also struggle with addiction in some sort of way. Any tips or support would be appreciated.
• Are there any major efforts out there to educate parents, doctors, teachers, human resources, and the general public about the trait of HSP's and what to look for? What a positive game-changer it could be for so many HSP's if this trait was common knowledge.
• I'm curious if there is a link between being HSP and being introverted?
• Where I am, things are opening up and I'm expected to soon work in the office. How can we manage the fear of venturing out when it seems much safer and calmer at home, especially if it does not seem necessary? 
• One of my biggest struggles with being an HSP is how to communicate effectively when I am in a heated situation, for example, when someone is angry or screaming. I tend to freeze and lose my ability to speak and then feel irate later. I want to be able to address the situation calmly and in my power but am often so flooded with strong emotion I can not speak.
• I have the same question, except I don't freeze, I fight. And can't stop until everything I have ever thought comes out. When a fight starts, how can we calm down sooner? 
• How to deal with when I just am doing nothing but tears start to fall uncontrollably. for example, over the weekend I saw protestors holding signs to support police officers and I felt this tingling sensation and an overwhelming of hotness and tears starting to form (is this “flooding”?) but I was able to hold them back by taking deep breaths and not focusing or looking at the people (I was in the car with my family). Any thoughts on this would be helpful. Thanks.
• When talking to a spouse about HSP, what do you think are the top 2-3 things to focus on in discussion?  I'd like to avoid making him feel like he needs to change. I think he is feeling criticized when I explain my needs. It's such a huge concept, being HSP, so I would love to know a couple of big things to focus on and a couple of big things to avoid (like common mistakes)? Hoping this makes sense. I just don't know where to start, but I think he is willing to listen.

Julie Bjelland is a sensitivity expert, psychotherapist, and author. Her online courses developed for HSPs and her Sensitive Empowerment community have helped thousands of highly sensitive people (HSPs) around the world reduce their challenges, access their gifts, and discover their significant value to truly thrive in the world. Known for her ability to teach people tools that work quickly, Julie is on a mission to empower sensitive people to live their best lives. For more HSP resources and to take Julie’s free Sensitivity Quiz, visit JulieBjelland.com