1. Overexcitabilities: A Key to Understanding Your Gifted Personality
Based on…
Dabrowski’s Theory of Overexcitabilities

2. Overexcitabilities/ Supersensitivities/
A consistent over-reaction to external and internal stimuli in a variety of domains.

3. Translation!
Some individuals tend to react more strongly than average to things that happen to them.
Some individuals tend to react to these things for a longer time than average.

4. Remember…
These reactions are a part of the physical and mental make-up of the individual.
Such individuals do not react this way on purpose.
This is simply a part of who they are.

5. PSYCHOMOTOR

6. PSYCHOMOTOR OVEREXCITABILITY
Heightened excitability of the neuromuscular system
Capacity for being active and energetic
Love of movement for its own sake
Organic surplus of energy
Psychomotor expression of emotional tension
May be misdiagnosed as ADHD

7. Psychomotor Strategies
Allow time for physical or verbal activity, before, during, and after normal daily and school activities – these individuals love to “do” and need to “do.” Build activity and movement into their lives
Be sure the physical or verbal activities are acceptable and not distracting to those around them.
Provide time for spontaneity and open-ended, freewheeling activities. These tend to favor the needs of a person high in Psychomotor OE

8. SENSUAL

9. SENSUAL OVEREXCITABILITY
Heightened experience of sensual pleasure or displeasure from sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing
Sensual expression and outlets for emotional tension
Appreciation for aesthetic pleasures
May become over stimulated or uncomfortable with sensory input

10. Sensual Strategies
Whenever possible, create an environment which limits offensive stimuli and provides comfort.
Provide appropriate opportunities for being in the limelight by giving unexpected attention, or facilitating creative and dramatic productions that have an audience. These individuals feel the recognition from being in the limelight.
Provide time to dwell in the delight of the sensual and to create a soothing environment

11. INTELLECTUAL

12. INTELLECTUAL OVEREXCITABILITY
Heightened need to seek understanding and truth
Intensified activity of the mind
Penchant for probing questions; Problem solving
Preoccupation with logic, theoretical thinking and development of new concepts
May have intense focus on one topic

13. Intellectual Strategies
Show how to find the answers to questions. This respects and encourages a person’s passion to analyze, synthesize, and seek understanding.
Provide opportunities to nourish and “feed” their area of interest.
Clubs, museums, books, magazines, webinars

14. IMAGINATIONAL

15. IMAGINATIONAL OVEREXCITABILITY
Heightened play of the imagination
Rich association of images and impressions
Spontaneous imagery as an expression of emotional tension
Capacity for living in a world of fantasy

16. Imaginational Strategies
May confuse reality and fiction because their memories and new ideas become blended in their mind. Help individuals to differentiate between their imagination and the real world by having them place a stop sign in their mental videotape, or write down or draw the factual account before they embellish it.
Help people use their imagination to function in the real world and promote learning and productivity. For example, instead of the conventional school organizer notebook, have children create their own organizational system.

17. EMOTIONAL

18. EMOTIONAL OVEREXCITABILITY
Heightened, intense positive and negative
feelings
Somatic expressions
Capacity for deep relationships
Feelings may interfere with everyday tasks such as completing homework

19. Emotional Strategies
Accept all feelings, regardless of intensity. For people who are not highly emotional, this seems particularly odd. They feel that those high in Emotional OE are just melodramatic. However if we accept their emotional intensity and help them work through any problems that might result, we will facilitate healthy growth.
Teach individuals to anticipate physical and emotional responses and prepare for them. Emotionally intense people often don’t know when they are becoming so overwrought that they may lose control or may have physical responses to their emotions.

20. Emotional Strategies cont.
Help them to identify the physical warning signs of their emotional stress such as headaches, sweaty palms, and stomachaches. By knowing the warning signs and acting on them early, individuals will be better able to cope with emotional situations and not lose control.

21. Overexcitabilities are…
Great!
Exciting!
Fulfilling!
Challenging!
Troublesome!
Painful!

22. References www.sengifted.org Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
Powerpoint adapted from Lori Comallie – Caplan, MA, LED, LMSW