overexcitabilities: a key to understanding your gifted personality

Overexcitabilities: A Key Overexcitabilities: A Key to Understanding Your to Understanding Your

Gifted PersonalityGifted Personality

Created by Lori Comallie-Caplan Created by Lori Comallie-Caplan [email protected]@lcps.k12.nm.us

INTELLECTUALINTELLECTUAL

The MightyThe Mighty

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Intellectual OEIntellectual OEAs we aspire to evolve to higher and higher levels of As we aspire to evolve to higher and higher levels of

development, we go through a continuous process of development, we go through a continuous process of dissolution and reintegration. In this process of evolution and dissolution and reintegration. In this process of evolution and transcendence, we constantly need to be willing to let go of transcendence, we constantly need to be willing to let go of old ways of seeing and thinking: our fixed philosophical old ways of seeing and thinking: our fixed philosophical positions, worldviews, self-concepts, etc. And this is one of positions, worldviews, self-concepts, etc. And this is one of the most challenging aspects of actual development because the most challenging aspects of actual development because it's the ultimate threat to the ego. The only thing that enables it's the ultimate threat to the ego. The only thing that enables real evolutionary, which means vertical, development is that real evolutionary, which means vertical, development is that courageous willingness to let go, at the deepest level, of our courageous willingness to let go, at the deepest level, of our sense of who we are. That's the absolutely terrifying, sense of who we are. That's the absolutely terrifying, completely exhilarating truth of evolution at the level of completely exhilarating truth of evolution at the level of consciousness in real time. consciousness in real time. Andrew CohenAndrew Cohen


Intellectual OEIntellectual OE have a marked need to seek understanding and truth, have a marked need to seek understanding and truth,

to gain knowledge, and to analyze and synthesize to gain knowledge, and to analyze and synthesize (Dabrowski & Piechowski, 1977; Piechowski, (Dabrowski & Piechowski, 1977; Piechowski, 1979,1991)1979,1991)

have incredibly active mindshave incredibly active minds intensely curious, often avid readers, and usually intensely curious, often avid readers, and usually

keen observers. keen observers. able to concentrate, engage in prolonged intellectual able to concentrate, engage in prolonged intellectual

effort, and be tenacious in problem solving when they effort, and be tenacious in problem solving when they choose. choose.

relish elaborate planning and having remarkably relish elaborate planning and having remarkably detailed visual recall. detailed visual recall.


Intellectual OEIntellectual OE frequently love theory, thinking about thinking, and frequently love theory, thinking about thinking, and

moral thinking. moral thinking. This focus on moral thinking often translates into strong This focus on moral thinking often translates into strong

concerns about moral and ethical issues-fairness on the concerns about moral and ethical issues-fairness on the playground, lack of respect for children, or being playground, lack of respect for children, or being concerned about "adult" issues such as the homeless, concerned about "adult" issues such as the homeless, AIDS, or war. AIDS, or war.

quite independent of thought and sometimes appear quite independent of thought and sometimes appear critical of and impatient with others who cannot critical of and impatient with others who cannot sustain their intellectual pace. sustain their intellectual pace. This intellectual intensity seems to cause the greatest This intellectual intensity seems to cause the greatest

difficulty at school and home when children become so difficulty at school and home when children become so excited about learning and thinking that they interrupt or excited about learning and thinking that they interrupt or blurt out answers at inappropriate times or are too honest blurt out answers at inappropriate times or are too honest about or critical of others' ideas. about or critical of others' ideas.


Translation! You may…Translation! You may…

Love to be logicalLove to be logical Enjoy brain teasers and puzzlesEnjoy brain teasers and puzzles Like to figure things out, especially if Like to figure things out, especially if

it’s complicatedit’s complicated Seek out truth and knowledgeSeek out truth and knowledge Be very observantBe very observant Have trouble falling asleep at night Have trouble falling asleep at night

because your mind is racingbecause your mind is racing


When upset you may show When upset you may show your tension by…your tension by…

Analyzing things “to Analyzing things “to death”death”


IntellectualIntellectual OEs OEs

What is wonderful about having a What is wonderful about having a intellectual overexcitability?intellectual overexcitability?

What is difficult about having a What is difficult about having a intellectual overexcitability? intellectual overexcitability?

Your ExamplesYour Examples


Intellectual Strategies Intellectual Strategies Show how to find the answers to questions. This Show how to find the answers to questions. This

respects and encourages a person's passion to respects and encourages a person's passion to analyze, synthesize, and seek understanding. analyze, synthesize, and seek understanding.

Provide or suggest ways for those interested in Provide or suggest ways for those interested in moral and ethical issues to act upon their concerns-moral and ethical issues to act upon their concerns-such as collecting blankets for the homeless or such as collecting blankets for the homeless or writing to solders in Kosovo. This enables people writing to solders in Kosovo. This enables people to feel that they can help, in even a small way, to to feel that they can help, in even a small way, to solve community or worldwide problems. solve community or worldwide problems.

If individuals seem critical or too outspoken to If individuals seem critical or too outspoken to others, help them to see how their intent may be others, help them to see how their intent may be perceived as cruel or disrespectful. For example, perceived as cruel or disrespectful. For example, telling someone "that is a stupid idea" may not be telling someone "that is a stupid idea" may not be well received, even it the idea is truly stupid. well received, even it the idea is truly stupid.


STRESS MANAGEMENTSTRESS MANAGEMENT

Overexcitable individuals have increased stress reactions Overexcitable individuals have increased stress reactions because of their increased reception of and reaction to because of their increased reception of and reaction to external input. The key components are to:external input. The key components are to:

(1) learn to identify your stress symptoms: headache, (1) learn to identify your stress symptoms: headache, backache, pencil tapping, pacing, etc. backache, pencil tapping, pacing, etc.

(2) develop strategies for coping with stress: talk about your (2) develop strategies for coping with stress: talk about your feelings, do relaxation exercises, change your diet, exercise, feelings, do relaxation exercises, change your diet, exercise, meditate, ask for help, develop organizational and time meditate, ask for help, develop organizational and time management skills and management skills and

(3) develop strategies to prevent stress: make time for fun; (3) develop strategies to prevent stress: make time for fun; develop a cadre of people to help, advise, humor you; develop a cadre of people to help, advise, humor you; practice tolerance of your own and others’ imperfections.practice tolerance of your own and others’ imperfections.

Stress relief for IntellectualStress relief for Intellectual

What do you think would relieve stress for a What do you think would relieve stress for a intellectual overexcitability?intellectual overexcitability?



CREATE A COMFORTING CREATE A COMFORTING ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

Intense people need to know how to make their environment Intense people need to know how to make their environment more comfortable in order to create places for retreat or safety. more comfortable in order to create places for retreat or safety. For example: find places to work or think which are not For example: find places to work or think which are not distracting, work in a quiet or calm environment, listen to distracting, work in a quiet or calm environment, listen to music, look at a lovely picture, carry a comforting item, move music, look at a lovely picture, carry a comforting item, move while working, or wear clothing which does not scratch or while working, or wear clothing which does not scratch or cling. Learning to finesse one’s environment to meet one’s cling. Learning to finesse one’s environment to meet one’s needs takes experimentation and cooperation from others, but needs takes experimentation and cooperation from others, but the outcome will be a greater sense of well being and the outcome will be a greater sense of well being and improved productivity.improved productivity.

Comforting Environments for Comforting Environments for Intellectual OverexcitabilitiesIntellectual Overexcitabilities

What environments would be comforting for What environments would be comforting for intellectuals?intellectuals?


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