Highly Sensitive People & TV

“Watching television is like taking black spray paint to your third eye.”  

~Bill Hicks

I’ve pretty much stopped watching TV. Highly Sensitive People (HSP’s) don’t do well with loud noises, lots of stimuli, and electronic buzzing. When I cut TV almost completely out of my life, I started to notice I slept better, felt calmer and had more creative thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, I love watching a great movie or maybe an awesome Netflix series, but sitting in front of the TV is just not my norm anymore.

It’s important for us HSPs to be monitoring not only our emotional and psychological sensitivities, but also our physical responses to stimuli. Television can definitely be a trigger, and at the end of the day the HSP has to ask him or herself, is it really worth it?

You may be in a situation where your partner likes to come home after work every night, sit on the couch with a bag of Doritos and turn on the boob tube. Now, if you recognize you’ve been going into sensory overload night after night -- ding, ding, ding! “Houston, we have a problem.” That is, you’ve got a situation that needs to be dealt with.

Hopefully, you’re with a companion who understands your sensitivity and will be willing to work with your requests for a more peaceful home environment. If not, well, then that’s a whole ‘nother issue.

The bottom line is that, like with everything else in life, the HSP has to pinpoint what works for them and what doesn’t . . . and then act from that knowing. Watching 3-6 hours of television might work for the average person, but for the highly sensitive person it could really take a toll on your mind and body. By clearly identifying whether TV watching (or being on Facebook) hurts or helps you, you can begin to take control of your life and your environment.

Maybe more importantly, doesn’t a warm salt bath with lavender oil (vs. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo) sound like music to your HSP ears?

Peace, Love & Magic,
Valerie C. Gangas