As a holistic and functional psychiatrist, I see many people who are highly sensitive. Most are deep divers into information and able to connect a lot of dots. Many are gifted. Many struggle with overwhelm and low stress tolerance. Some struggled with anxiety, inner tension, or feeling “too much” for as long as they can remember. Some feel different - that they don’t fit in. As a holistic and functional psychiatrist with over twenty years in practice, I've worked with thousands of highly sensitive adults and children. Most are deep divers into information, able to connect a lot of dots — many are gifted. And yet many struggle with overwhelm, low stress tolerance, anxiety, or inner tension that has been there for as long as they can remember. Many feel different, like they don't quite fit in. What I've found is that sensitivity itself is rarely the problem — it’s the seeming vulnerability to brain-related or physical conditions. Over the years I’ve found three different models to be especially useful in explaining some of the vulnerabilities and the strengths of those of us who are highly sensitive: Dr. Elaine Aron’s work on the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), the nutritional medicine concept of Pyrrole Disorder, and Dr. Sharon Meglathery’s RCCX Theory. Each looks at a similar group of traits through a different lens — psychological, biochemical, and genetic, respectively. Before I start, I want to emphasize that sensitivity is not a pathology or a diagnosis. It is actually a trait that has existed across human history for a reason. My goal is not to pathologize it, but to understand it — and to offer tools to those who have these traits but who are struggling with a condition more prevalent in those with these traits. As I go through these three frameworks, the overlap will be obvious and I’ll highlight what each of these has to offer that the others don’t. What You'll Learn * The HSP model provides validation and a language for sensitive individuals. * Pyrrole Disorder involves an overproduction of pyrroles, leading to nutrient depletion of nutrients critical for neurotransmitter functioning. * Pyrrole Disorder is common in brain-related conditions. * RCCX Theory connects genetic vulnerabilities to sensitivity and chronic illness. * Stress amplifies the experiences of highly sensitive individuals. * Understanding these models can lead to effective treatment options. * There are meaningful paths forward for those who are highly sensitive. Chapters * 00:00 Understanding High Sensitivity * 02:26 The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Model * 10:23 Exploring Pyrrole Disorder * 18:18 RCCX Theory Explained * 30:11 Intersecting Models: HSP, Pyrrole Disorder & RCCX Theory * 34:40 Conclusion and Path Forward I. THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON In the early 1990s, psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron identified a personality trait she called Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) — and the people who score high in it she called Highly Sensitive Persons, or HSPs. This is not a diagnosis. It is a trait, present in roughly 15–20% of the population. It has been found across more than 100 species — from fruit flies to primates. This tells us it is evolutionarily conserved — it confers survival advantages. In any social group, having members who are wired to notice subtle cues, process information deeply, and detect threats before others do is extremely valuable. Fitting with this, many of these individuals, who also struggle with complex chronic health issues are considered the “canaries in the coal mine” since their bodies react to environmental triggers (environmental toxins, chemicals, or stressors) long before the rest of the population. Dr. Aron captured the core features of this trait in an acronym she called DOES: D — Depth of processing: HSPs think deeply, reflect before acting, and notice subtleties that others miss. O — Overstimulation: Because they process so thoroughly, HSPs reach their threshold more quickly in high-stimulation environments. E — Emotional reactivity and Empathy: HSPs feel emotions intensely and are highly attuned to the emotions of those around them. S — Sensitivity to subtle stimuli: They pick up on things — in their environment, in social dynamics, in the body — that others simply don’t register. As you can see, traits that are super powers, can become liabilities. The deep diver who loses sight of the big picture. The empath who absorbs everyone else’s energy as their own energy becomes depleted. The person who withdraws from the world because the stimulation has simply become too much. HSP Research Beyond the clinical observations, there is now a growing body of neuroscience and genetic research supporting this trait. There is evidence that the brains of sensitive people are doing more, processing more and feeling more. fMRI studies (Acevedo, Aron et al., 2014) have shown that when HSPs view emotional images — particularly photos of loved ones expressing happiness or sadness — their brains show significantly greater activation in regions associated with awareness, empathy, and sensory integration. Twin studies show that Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) as defined by Dr. Aron is approximately 47% heritable. Small studies as opposed to large genome wide studies have focused on genetic variants involving dopamine and serotonin systems, such as a serotonin transport gene, a dopamine receptor gene, and COMT, which codes for the enzyme that metabolizes dopamine and norepinephrine. While this hints at a biochemical dimension, the HSP framework doesn’t address this as directly as the other two models I’ll discuss, nor does it explain the higher prevalence of physical health conditions in those who are highly sensitive. Research published in 2026 (Matsuzawa et al.) found that individuals high in SPS had substantially higher rates of depression (13.8%), anxiety disorder (10.5%), and developmental disorders, such as ADHD and ASD, compared to the general population. Despite this overlap with developmental disorders: unlike, ADHD, HSPs typically have excellent concentration in quiet environments. And unlike the social deficits described in ASD, HSPs tend to have heightened social attunement. They often feel too much of what’s happening in social situations, not too little, even if they respond awkwardly at times. Research shows that high sensory processing sensitivity is associated with more frequent physical symptoms — back pain, fatigue, digestive issues, frequent illness. What This Framework Offers The HSP model has given millions of people validation and a language for these traits that has allowed them to shift from “what is wrong with me” to “this is how I am wired.” It also offers an evolutionary reframe. High sensitivity is not a mistake and is not pathologic. It is a feature of the human population that has served us. What it doesn’t offer is a biological explanation for why some sensitive people suffer so acutely — or a path toward biochemical intervention. II. PYRROLE DISORDER Pyrrole disorder is a biochemical imbalance that has been recognized for decades, though it remains largely unknown in mainstream psychiatry. It involves an overproduction of pyrroles — metabolic byproducts that, on their own, are not a problem. When they are high, however, they can result in a depletion of zinc, B6 and a few other nutrients. First identified in the 1950s and first treated with zinc and B6 in the 1980s, pyrrole disorder is one of the most common nutrient imbalances found in brain-related conditions — and one of the most treatable. Yet most people who have it have never heard of it. I learned about pyrroles in 2014 when I first trained with the Walsh Research Institute. The Importance of Zinc, B6 & Magnesium Vitamin B6 is required to synthesize dopamine, serotonin, and GABA — three of the most critical neurotransmitters for mood regulation, anxiety, and stress response. Zinc plays a profound role in the central nervous system, the immune system, gastrointestinal tract (which we now know has its own significant influence on brain health) and connective tissue (joints and skin). Pyrrole Disorder Traits & Symptoms The most consistent feature is low stress tolerance. People with elevated pyrroles are often described as those for whom life seems harder than it should be, every transition can be destabilizing and every large group or new environment feels like too much. The overlap with the HSP profile is striking, but here, we start to see not only traits, but symptoms. - Socially anxious, shy, or fearful since childhood, with severe inner tension - Sensitive to bright light, loud noises, textures, and odors - Avoids crowds, strangers, and new situations - History of reading difficulty - Poor short-term memory - Underachievement - Irritability, mood swings, bouts of depression - Tends to stay up late; little or no dream recall; morning nausea - White spots on fingernails; very dry skin; stretch marks; poor wound healing - Joint pain - Frequent infections or autoimmune tendencies Most people with pyrrole disorder don’t have all of these symptoms — but the inner tension, the high sensitivity, and low stress intolerance are very common. What the Data Shows The Walsh Research Institute has collected data on over 30,000 patients. Elevated pyrroles were found in: * 18% of those with ADHD * 24% of those with depression * 28% of those with behavioral disorders * 35% of those with autism * 35% of those with bipolar disorder * 30% of those with schizophrenia * 12% of those with PTSD And in only 8% of healthy controls — meaning those with no psychiatric diagnosis. What Causes Pyrrole Disorder? For many, there appears to be a genetic component, but for others, pyrroles appear to have increased due to high physiologic or emotional stress. Examples include candida overgrowth or other forms of gut microbial imbalances, mold toxicity, heavy met
