Expanding Developmental Horizons: The Crucial Role of Imaginational Overexcitability
By Dr. Patty Gently on November 27, 2024
Bright Insight Support Network founder and president Dr. Patricia Gently is a trauma therapist and coach who specializes in EMDR and works with gifted neurodivergent and other marginalized populations. She is an experienced author, educator, and presenter who promotes integrated inclusivity, a holistic understanding of neurodiversity, and information integrity.
Expanding Developmental Horizons: The Crucial Role of Imaginational Overexcitability
Have you ever found yourself imagining a better version of your life or dreaming of a more ideal world?
For some, these aren’t just fleeting thoughts—they are a constant companion, shaping how we see the world and ourselves. This ability to dream big and imagine more requires what some might call “vision.” Dabrowski might also suggest such people engage in multilevel disintegration where individuals become acutely aware of the gap between “what is" (current reality) and “what ought to be" (ideal possibilities).
Ideal possibilities… sometimes they look imaginary.
In Dąbrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration, he explored how certain people—some with heightened sensitivities—have a greater capacity for personal growth. These OEs can be interpreted as the keys to unlocking that potential, especially when life throws challenges our way. In some ways, OEs are also simply a manifestation of the potential as innate ability and energy. While Dąbrowski emphasized the power of emotional OE, I’ve come to believe that imaginational OE is just as critical because it allows us to dream up possibilities and reach even further.
Understanding Overexcitabilities
Let’s start with the basics: what are OEs? You might think of them as supercharged sensitivities that influence how we experience the world. Dąbrowski identified five types of OEs:
Psychomotor OE: Ever met someone who can’t sit still, brimming with energy and always moving or talking? That may be psychomotor OE in action.
Sensual OE: The friend who melts into the sound of a beautiful song or notices the texture of a soft blanket, or the child overwhelmed by that pesky shirt tag.
Intellectual OE: Deep thinkers who can’t stop asking “why” and love diving into new ideas, and those accused of overintellectualizing, maybe. Yeah…
Imaginational OE: The dreamers, storytellers, and visionaries who may see life as a vessel for possibility. Those who see beyond what is there.
Emotional OE: Those who feel deeply—joy, sorrow, empathy—all magnified, with the ability to deeply feel both pain and beauty.
If you’ve ever felt like you experience the world much “more” than others, you are not alone. These OEs don’t just make life richer; they might also introduce us to the labels of too much, too cerebral, too sensitive, or as those with their heads too far in the clouds. OEs can also drive us toward growth though, most particularly during moments of crisis or transformation.
Dąbrowski’s Focus: Emotional Overexcitability as the Fuel
Dąbrowski believed emotional OE was the engine of developmental potential. Imagine a roaring fire in your chest—this is emotional OE, pushing you to challenge the status quo, question injustice, and demand better of yourself and the world around you.
Emotional OE is the reason we feel that aching dissatisfaction with things as they are when it’s not how things should be—as a positive maladjustment pushing us towards more and maybe better. It’s what allows us to wrestle with hard questions like, Am I living the life I want? Am I the person I aspire to be? This inner conflict—painful as it is—propels us forward. Without emotional intensity, we might stay stuck, never questioning, never growing.
The Role of Imaginational OE: Dreaming of What’s Possible
While emotional OE provides the fuel for growth, imaginational OE may act as the map and maybe even super-sensitive spectacles. It’s the part of us that can look through a current reality and envision what doesn’t yet exist. Imaginational OE provides the necessary creative reach to bridge the gap between “what is" and “what ought to be," propelling us toward transformation, while allowing us to picture a more authentic alignment with our values.
At its core, imaginational OE reflects a dynamism of possibility. It allows us to think in terms of ideals, creativity, and alternative realities. Without this ability to dream and envision, the developmental process might stagnate under the weight of emotional intensity. With it, the impossible may feel achievable.
For me, this realization hits hard when I reflect on my own journey. I’ve faced challenges that felt insurmountable—moments of rejection, loss, and pain. What kept me going wasn’t just the emotional drive to push through. It was my ability to imagine a better version of myself and my life. I could see possibilities beyond the hardship, even when others couldn’t. That vision became a refuge for me.
Imaginational OE and Multilevel Growth
In Dąbrowski’s framework, growth hinges on the tension between reality and aspiration—the perpetual striving toward higher values, ideals, and self-concepts. This tension is driven by several dynamisms, and imaginational OE plays a key role in their activation and expression:
Dynamism of Hierarchization:
Hierarchization refers to the internal process of establishing a hierarchy of values, preferences, and priorities within a person. This involves distinguishing between higher and lower values based on ethical, emotional, intellectual, and existential considerations. Imaginational OE helps us create a hierarchy of values, envisioning ideals that transcend our current circumstances.
For example, you might seek to be a more compassionate person or imagine living in a world where justice and equity prevail. These visions aren’t just fantasies—they become benchmarks for growth. Without imagination, this process might feel like groping in the dark. Imaginational OE illuminates the path, helping us visualize higher possibilities and evaluate our present reality against them.
Dynamism of Ideal Self or Personality Ideal:
The ideal self, a cornerstone of Dąbrowski’s theory, is the imagined vision of who one aspires to be, based on deeply held values, ethics, and a sense of purpose. It acts as a guiding compass for personal growth and self-improvement.
Imaginational OE allows us to craft and refine this ideal—a mental image of who we could become if we aligned our actions with our highest values. For instance, you might imagine a version of yourself who responds to adversity with grace or a world where harmony replaces discord. These mental constructs guide your choices and provide a compelling reason to persevere.
Subject-Object in Oneself:
My personal favorite (can you have a favorite dynamism?), subject-object within oneself describes the ability of an individual to engage in deep introspection and self-evaluation by adopting two distinct perspectives: one as the subject (experiencer) and the other as the object (observer). This dynamic is fundamental to self-awareness, self-regulation, and higher levels of personal development. It is the capacity to observe and evaluate oneself from an external, objective standpoint while simultaneously experiencing oneself as the subject of thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Subject-object creates a dialogue between “who I am" and “who I want to be", fostering a process of self-examination and transformation. As we engage in this subject-object reflection, imaginational OE allows us to step outside ourselves and picture who we are versus who we could be. Though this is an objective evaluation of self, it may require an imaginative leap that lets us see our own potential from a distance, offering clarity about the changes we might need to (or do not need to) make.
Imaginational OE as a Tool for Strength (Resilience)
In moments of hardship, imaginational OE provides a powerful lifeline. It enables us to frame our struggles to help us see also alternatives and possibilities, even when circumstances seem bleak. As an example, a person grappling with loss might envision a future where they’ve built meaningful connections and found purpose. Someone stuck in a dead-end job might imagine themselves in a career that aligns with their passions, fueling the motivation to pursue change.
This imaginative ability aligns with Dąbrowski’s dynamism of disquietude with oneself, an inner state of dissatisfaction or unease with one's current behaviors, attitudes, or developmental level. It reflects the individual's growing awareness of a gap between their current self and their higher ideals or potential. This dynamism plays a crucial role in fostering personal growth by encouraging self-examination and change.
Imaginational OE amplifies this process by allowing individuals to perceive the gap between their current state and their potential while also vividly conceptualizing the steps and possibilities for bridging that gap. It transforms disquietude from a source of despair into a creative tension, where envisioning alternatives and better outcomes fosters hope and motivates action. Together, imaginational OE and the dynamism of disquietude with oneself create a synergistic pathway to growth, enabling individuals to navigate challenges with a sense of purpose and direction, grounded in the belief that a more fulfilling and aligned future is within reach.
Creativity and Transformation
Imaginational OE also fosters creativity, a key ingredient in personal and societal transformation. It’s the spark that leads to innovation, the stories that inspire, and the art that moves us. For those navigating the process of disintegration, imagination becomes a creative tool for rebuilding, helping individuals design their lives anew.
In Dąbrowski’s terms, this aligns with the dynamism of autonomy, where individuals take ownership of their development and craft a life aligned with their highest ideals. Imaginational OE supports this autonomy by presenting endless possibilities, ensuring that no circumstance feels truly limiting.
Balancing Emotional and Imaginational OEs
Consider a person who has faced deep rejection. Emotional OE amplifies the pain, making it feel unbearable while pointing them to what ought (or ought not) to be. Imaginational OE can provide relief: the person pictures themselves in a future where they are loved, understood, and thriving. This vision sustains them, not as an escape—as a goal—a reminder of why growth is worth pursuing. Similarly, think of a child who dreams of being a professional artist. Emotional OE may fuel their passion, while imaginational OE lets them envision their creations displayed in a gallery. This imagined reality becomes a source of motivation, helping them persist despite challenges.
The interplay between emotional and imaginational OEs is critical. Emotional OE provides the energy to act, while imaginational OE provides the direction. Together, they create a synergy that drives transformational growth.
Dąbrowski’s dynamism of self-awareness captures this balance. As we reflect on our emotional intensity, imaginational OE allows us to contextualize and channel it productively. For instance:
Emotional OE might allow us to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems, and imaginational OE lets us envision how we can contribute to solutions.
Emotional OE might lead to deep guilt over past mistakes, and imaginational OE could help us imagine reconciliation and a path forward.
Emotional OE may allow us to feel deep empathy for those different from us, while imaginational OE can enable us to imagine the reality they tell us about without questioning it.
It's all important.
A Visionary Force
Imagination OE isn’t just about daydreams—it’s about envisioning what’s possible and allowing those visions to guide us. It’s what helps us believe that change is not only necessary—it’s achievable. Without it, emotional intensity might lead to despair. With it, we can see through the chaos to the light on the horizon.
Dąbrowski’s work reminds us that growth is about more than pain; it’s about possibility. And imagination is the doorway through which those possibilities come alive.
Imaginational OE allows for change because if we can see it, maybe we can achieve it. If it were impossible, why would we try? Actioning imaginational OE gives us the vision to do more and be more—why else would they call us “too much.”
References:
Dąbrowski, K. (1967). Personality-shaping through positive disintegration. Little, Brown and Company.
Dąbrowski, K. (1977). Multilevelness of emotional and instinctive functions: Volume 1: Theory and description of levels of behavior. Dabor Science Publications.
Comments