Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You by Elaine N. Aron

3 reviews

ashwaar's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I think I just went into this book expecting something different and honestly a bit more helpful. I know I'm highly sensitive and I'd heard this book being recommended and I thought it could help me and offer some advice. But it just didn't do enough and I got more information about how I may have been as an infant compared to advice on myself as an adult. I also felt like Aron never really said anything concrete, she'd write along the lines of 'you might want to go out in the evening to push yourself or stay in and listen to what your body needs'. I know that already, and I just needed more from it.

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edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.25

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erperry's review

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informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I found this okay in the beginning but frustrating as I kept reading. It was waaaay more theoretical and vague platitudes than practical tips. Perhaps because I didn't think it would be so much of a self help book and more just information and some tips. But it felt highly inconsistent...Aron writes that she doesn't want to come off as elitist and yet at times it very much feels like the HSPs are superior in her mind and everyone else is "Brutish", though perhaps the narrator contributed to that through tone. Then there was the whole "I want you to understand that you are who you are, it's not an issue don't change yourself" but then often repeated "you may need to try and fit in to not be a threat to non HSPs". That's where I really started getting frustrated and thought about stopping reading. What is this us vs them mentality...I thought it was learning to be sensitive in a non-sensitive world, not learn to hide yourself...it also was HEAVILY geared toward those with poor childhoods. The intro claimed that there would be helpful info for everyone but the whole time was stories of people who had HORRIBLE experiences and all the advice was assuming people thought sensitivity was bad. And so much of it was just about physical overstimulation. I thought there'd be more about the emotional/empathy side, and reacting to tone. When I got to the chapter on relationships it felt more like "Ah yes this makes sense" than many others, but still only mentioned sensitivity to criticism and tone without giving any tips. Maybe if I hadn't already read multiple articles explaining HSPs, this would be helpful - or maybe it actually would've convinced me this WASN'T me because it was so very geared toward "people have rejected you again and again". Do I feel out of place sometimes? Yes. But did I grow up thinking I was horrible? No. The short intro I read from a different HSP book already told me more about myself than this book, which was disappointing as Aron did discover it. I will try some of her more specific ones, though, like parenting as HSP, see if those are more practical and less theoretical. 


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