D.O.E.S. – 4 Ways HSP Traits are Expressed
D.O.E.S. – Ways HSP Traits Are Expressed
D.O.E.S. stands for:
Depth of processing,
Overarousability,
Emotional intensity
Sensory sensitivity
Depth of Processing
This indicator of sensitivity might appear as reflecting (more than others would) about the “way the world is going,” the meaning of life, or of their line of work; pondering the direction a relationship is going given certain events; conjectures about how things came to be the way they are or are likely to turn out; or conscientiousness or morality that seems to arise from unusual reflection on the results of behavior rather than adherence to a code of ethics formulated by others.
Overstimulation
Being easily overaroused is the most distressing part of being highly sensitive, and being distressed about it only increases their overarousal.
High levels of stimulation lead to high levels of arousal, and very high levels of arousal cause discomfort and poor performance for everyone (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). Cognitive capacity (how much can be held in working memory) decreases, leading to confusion, poor memory, and a paucity of thoughts or of words to express them. There is often an increase in sympathetic nervous system activation (fight or flight response)—raised heart beat, sweaty palms, churning stomach.
Chronic overarousal is often the presenting problem—feeling stressed out, suffering from burnout, feeling overwhelmed, or a sense of not being able to handle any more. This will be affecting rest, health, and with time, performance on the job or in the family.
Another way to think of it is having too much to process
Emotional Intensity
Emotional reactivity means sensitive persons also react more to the emotions of others.
Internalized emotions are much more common, as the outer display of emotions is overstimulating as well as seemingly too dangerous to them.
Often they feel they are failing to be assertive and are underappreciated or underpaid,
In an ongoing relationship they frequently are, or feel they are, being taken advantage of.
Almost all highly sensitive patients have low self-esteem, as do most patients entering therapy. For sensitive patients, however, it will in part be directly associated with their trait and feeling different.
Sensory sensitivity
Stimulation becomes overarousing when fatigue sets in. Fatigue arises because the processing of stimulation requires nervous system arousal and attention. Further, the highly sensitive are usually being additionally fatigued due to inhibition of their behavioral response, which they do to a greater degree than others in order to process stimuli more thoroughly. That requires self-control, which is specifically known to be physical work with physical limits, even though it is psychological in nature.