For HSPs, living in a state of unsustainable uncertainty can seem like too much. But there are ways to cope more easily.
“The world hurts my soul.”
A friend and highly sensitive person (HSP) sent me these words over the weekend and I realized how much the world hurts my soul too.
We’ve all been through a lot in the past year or more, living in a state of unsustainable uncertainty, anticipatory griefand heartache. As more wars break out, political violence reaches new heights, and basic necessities become increasingly unaffordable, it can feel like too much for us sensitive souls.
How can we handle it Existence and survival must look different because we are wired differently and the world needs us in times like these. Here are eight ways to take care of yourself when you’re triggered drowning in emotionsor feel completely overwhelmed.
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9 Coping Strategies for HSPs in Times of World Crisis
1. Explore your emotions and see if they help or hinder you.
What Highly sensitive souls feel deeplyand as a result can easily get into a downward spiral of negative emotions. One of the most effective ways to stop this is to be objective about what you’re feeling.
Ask yourself:
- Are these feelings helpful or useful?
- Can I learn from them?
- Do they want to teach you something?
- Are they encouraging me to do something?
Whether your answer is yes or no, it is very important to name your emotions so that they lose their power. Feel yourself through them as long as you can, but don’t let yourself get stuck in them. Then let go of the emotions that don’t serve you or will continue to weigh you down.
2. Try the “dry bath” (Japanese Reiki technique).
As HSPs, we take on the emotions of others throughout the day, so it can be extremely helpful to try the “dry bath” several times a day – and especially when you’re feeling weighed down by the world.
Dry bathing changed my life. It will probably feel weird the first few times, but this Japanese Reiki technique literally feels like layers and layers of emotion are being swept away from me. It is a ritual cleansing technique using energy and water. To do this, you need to follow a series of steps that include Gassho meditation as well as different parts of your body. Follow the steps here.
3. Let yourself cry – without judgement.
That’s not a question HSPs cry easilyeither from watching the news or appreciating a beautiful piece of music. The next morning I started crying in the shower. There was no clear reason, and I’m still not entirely sure why I cried, but a weight was lifted off my shoulders as I let the tears fall.
With all the emotions we carry, sometimes it can feel incredibly healing and cleansing to let the tears fall – without asking ourselves why.
4. Practicing intentional breathing.
I started taking a few minutes each day to take a deep breath and very intentionally let go of certain things—from the tragedies in Palestine to other things I carry.
It’s both mental and visual for me. I absorb positive emotions, such as joythank you and peacewhile breathing out difficult emotions I feel that are tied to specific situations and specific people, such as frustration, sadness, or stress.
By the way, I carry all my tension and stress on my right shoulder blade, so when I exhale, I visualize the release from the exact point of my body where it all accumulates. See where you feel tension; tension and stress may be hiding here.
5. Pray (a lot) – whatever “pray” means to you.
My faith is an integral part of who I am. One of the most effective things I do after the breathing exercise above is to pray for people who are hurting, whether in Palestine, Ukraine, Iran, or at home.
I struggle a lot right now with why these things happen in the world, because I know it breaks God’s heart too. But praying is something I can do, and it’s another way to let go of something completely out of my control.
It can be your ‘prayer’ he meditateswalking, talking to the Universe, or simply sending positive thoughts to those in need. Whatever it is for you, be sure to make time for these periods of silence and reflection.
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6. Move your body to release excess (and negative) energy.
Movement is another powerful way to release emotions that are not serving you or others in your life. You can move on purpose, e.g yoga either running or in a liberating way, without rhyme or reason. In a short time, you will shake off negative emotions and get into a better mental state.
7. Write about your emotions to better process your feelings.
Writing is another technique I use a lot. Putting your feelings and emotions down on paper while allowing yourself to write freely without a plan can lead you to places you never expected. By to journal everything you feelit helps you process emotions you may not have thought about.
8. Donate to important organizations and causes.
If you can, turn your heartache into help and give to an organization that works on the ground to help those most affected by violence and poverty. I personally do not focus on the most urgent needs, which include medical care, food and cash, as well as medical and psychological support and legal assistance, depending on the cause.
I’ve always had the deepest respect for therapistssocial workers and people who risk their lives to offer humanitarian aid because I know my heart couldn’t take it.
So instead, I donate whatever I can to give these heroes the money they need to do the work I can’t do.
9. Be careful with your media consumption, as the news is often too much to bear.
For years, I completely avoided the newsbecause it hurts too much to hear about it humanity at its worst.
But shortly after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, I saw an Instagram post from a black HSP talking about how he didn’t have the honor of turning off all the hard stuff. He lived it.
Something moved in me after I read it. I felt a responsibility to be knowledgeable enough to know what I could do to help. I started reading a daily newsletter that summarizes the news, which I can consume in measured portions. (For others, the daily news podcast might work.) And I started taking steps to help, even if they were small, like donating to worthy causes or contacting my legislators.
If you choose to stay informed this way, give yourself permission in advance to stop reading if it becomes too difficult or painful for you, and then use one of the strategies above to help release the emotions you’ve picked up. (I still recommend staying off social media or managing your feed carefully so nothing too heavy pops up.)
Know that too you are not alone in how you feel. Almost 30 percent of the entire world is highly sensitive, and their souls feel as heavy as yours—they feel just as deeply as you do. So be sure to take care of yourself so that you can continue to show up with the unique gifts that our world so desperately needs.
HSP colleagues, what coping strategies do you use these days? I’d love to hear it in the comments below!
