Emotional intensity is found in many children. And, it overlaps with other traits such a high sensitivity and over-excitabilities.
Emotional Intensity is the manner in which gifted students approach life. In addition, it’s a force that enables them to achieve at a higher level. It is consuming from time to time as students learn to manage the aspect that drives the passion within. Also, it is similar to the attributes of keeping the focus, continual attention, problem solving and having reading skills that are advanced. Mostly, it is recognized as simply being ‘smart’.
Emotional Intensity is Normal
This form of emotional intensity is natural to smart or gifted students. In the gifted student, it is not a matter of feeling more than other people. No doubt, children with emotional intensity experience the world differently. Their world is vivid, absorbing, surrounding, complex and dominating. Therefore, they express emotions in various ways. There are various attributes that indicate emotional intensity.
• First of all, children express extreme or complex emotions.
• Correspondingly, their body mirrors the emotion they feel. At times, they feel physical pain such as a tense stomach, headache and even nausea.
• Periodically, they display times of shyness or being timid.
• Children that have emotional intensity have strong memories that bring on the feelings of a past incident. Therefore, they remember, relive, and feel again the same emotion as before.
• Sometimes, they feel guilt. And, feel out of control, inferior, or inadequate. Self-evaluating and self-judging is a trait.
• Some students display signs of depression and concerns about death.
• They form emotional ties to friends and family members. Plus, they are sensitive in relationships. They form attachments to animals and have difficulty adapting to new environments.
All things considered, parents and teachers must recognize these attributes. And furthermore, address the needs of the ‘smart’ students. The heightened sensitivity to things that happen around them must be understood. In the long run, our children must know their increased sensitivity is a normal response to things that happen in their world. As a result, if we don’t make them understand, they will feel inadequate.
Understand and Give It a Number
• Understand what is behind the sensitivity issue.
• Create a scale so the intensity can be rated. Have the child identify where his/her response is on the scale.
• Give them words to identify their intense feeling.
• Help them to discover a way to calm down.
• If needed, take them out of the situation.
Parents and educators must nurture the intense child and accept their strong emotions. In spite of everything, their feelings need understood. And, they need support. Compel them to use their intellect to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance. After all, they are our future. So, appreciate their sensitivities and emphasize the strengths, not the shortcomings.
