A highly sensitive individual (HSP) is a term for those who are considered to have an enhanced or deeper sensitivity to physical, mental, or social stimulation of the central nervous system. Some refer to this as sensitivity to sensory perception, or SPS for short.
Although highly sensitive individuals are often characterized negatively as too sensitive," it is a characteristic of personality that brings both strengths and challenges.
Psychologists Elaine Aron and Arthur Aron first coined these concepts in the mid-1990s, and since then, interest in the idea has continued to grow tremendously.
Have you ever been told that you are too sensitive" or that you "shouldn't think too much," particularly by individuals who strike you as too disrespectful or who you think should think a little more? You may be what's known as a "highly sensitive person," or HSP.
It is necessary to note that being an HSP does not mean you have a disorder that can be diagnosed. It is a characteristic of personality that requires increased reactivity to both positive and negative stimuli.
Across a few different types, high sensitivity applies. According to the researchers who described this personality trait, there are many traits or characteristics common to HSPs:
Stop violent films or television shows because they feel too painful and make you feel unsettled.
Either embodied in art, nature, or the human spirit, or even even a good advert, being profoundly moved by beauty.
Being distracted by sensory stimulation, such as loud crowds, flashing lights, or awkward clothes.
Feeling a need for downtime (not just a preference), especially when you have hectic days; having to withdraw to a dark, calm room
Having an inner life that is rich and nuanced, filled with deep thoughts and intense emotions that go with it.
The Arons created a personality test to help individuals classify themselves as HSPs for more detailed or structured identification. It is referred to as the Extremely Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) of Aron.
It is assumed that highly susceptible individuals make up approximately 20 percent of the general population.
High sensitivity and introversion both share similarities, but they are distinct characteristics of personality; there may be some variation between the two, however.
The sensitivity of sensory processing is often confused with a condition called sensory processing disorder, although it is assumed that the two are distinct.
Being a highly sensitive person is less normal, and culture appears to be built around individuals who notice a little less and are influenced a little less profoundly.
Highly sensitive individuals can profit from finding ways to deal with the stresses they frequently face. This is true for those who, as well as those who have a loved one who is more sensitive than the average person, recognize themselves as very sensitive.
Being an HSP comes with both benefits and difficulties. People who mean no harm or who are doing their hardest to be kind may be offended too readily. Especially if you become emotionally abusive as a reaction, it is also possible to overreact to everyday stressors or relationship problems.
Being an HSP, however, doesn't inherently mean that when they are not there, you imagine negative motivations. It's more that you more readily interpret them. Or, negative experiences can affect you more profoundly, which is not necessarily a weakness.
Some of how being an HSP could affect your life include:
You should prevent circumstances that leave you feeling overwhelmed. Certain circumstances, such as stress, aggression, and conflict, can affect highly sensitive individuals more, which may lead them to avoid things that make them feel uncomfortable.
You may be highly touched by emotionality or elegance. Highly sensitive individuals appear to be profoundly moved by the beauty around them that they see. When watching especially heartwarming videos, they can cry and may genuinely empathize with others' emotions, both negative and optimistic.
With others, you can have similar relationships. They care deeply for their friends and prefer to form close relations with the right individuals.
Maybe you're grateful for the life that you have. A fine wine, a good meal, or a beautiful song are enjoyed by extremely sensitive individuals at a level that most people can not access. They may experience more existential anxiety, but they may also feel more appreciation for what they have in life, recognizing that it may be temporary and that nothing is certain.
You will make it more of a strength and less of a burden in your life if you know how to handle the specific characteristics of being an HSP. It helps to consider what you're dealing with, whether you're doing something for yourself or trying to develop a deeper understanding of someone who might be particularly sensitive in your life.
Lows can be lower for HSPs, but highs still have the ability to be higher.
Not surprisingly, when faced with stressful circumstances, highly sensitive individuals appear to get more nervous. Stuff that can roll off the backs of other people can also stress them.
For most people, social stress is viewed as more taxing than other kinds of stress. For someone who can perceive several different ways that things may go wrong in a confrontation, for example, or can perceive animosity or tension where others might not see it, this kind of stress may be especially challenging. Relevant items for the extremely sensitive that can be substantially stressful include:
Not everybody loves to be too busy, but the thrill and exhilaration of a busy life thrive on certain people. On the other hand, when they have a lot to do in a short period of time, HPSs feel stressed and rattled, even though they theoretically have enough time to get it done if they hurry.
Maybe not being able to make it all work, the need to juggle the confusion and the strain of such circumstances feels incredibly stressful.
Highly sensitive individuals seem to pick up on others' desires and emotions. They hate letting down people. Learning to say no is a challenge and a necessity for HSPs because they can feel crushed by others' demands, particularly because if HSPs need to say no, they can feel their friends' disappointment.
Highly emotional people tend to be their own worst critics. They feel responsible for others' happiness, or at least painfully conscious of it as negative feelings floating around.
HSPs may be more likely to be pressured by disagreement. In a relationship, they may be more mindful of issues brewing, even when things just seem a little off" with someone who may not communicate that there is a problem. This may also contribute to unrelated signals being misinterpreted as signs of conflict or frustration.
Highly sensitive individuals can also be vulnerable to the burden of social comparisons. They can sense both the other person's negative feelings and their own feelings, and they can perceive them more intensely and profoundly than others.
When potentially positive results give way to more negative results over the course of a worsening conflict, they might be more mindful of the likelihood of change and frustration.
When they know that a relationship is over, they will also be more frustrated, hoping that problems should have been fixed, while someone else may feel like there is nothing that could be done and walks away.
The highly sensitive can even more acutely since the loss of a friendship and indulge in rumination.
Life coaches refer to those regular energy drains that we all have as tolerations, such as those that produce tension and are not strictly important in "things we tolerate." For the HSP who is trying to focus, for example, distractions may feel more frustrating, or foul smells in one's house may be felt more strongly and make relaxing more difficult for an HSP in a messy home.
Highly responsive people are more easily shocked by surprises. When hungry, they get "hanging"-they don't bear it well. For the extremely sensitive, life's everyday stressors sometimes add up to more anger in this way.
They are more susceptible to rumination and self-doubt, though HSPs are their own biggest critics. If they make an awkward error, they will remember for quite a while and feel more embarrassed about it than the average person would.
If they are doing something difficult, they don't like being observed and judged, and may even screw up because of the tension of being watched. More frequently, they are perfectionists, but may also be more conscious of how this tension is not inevitable and how it affects them.
It can be especially helpful to find ways to cope with the stress of life if you happen to have a more sensitive personality. As a highly sensitive individual, much of your stress management strategy will include insulating yourself from too many stimuli. Place a buffer between sensory sensations that feel distracting and you. And above all, know what causes you to be anxious, and learn to stop certain things.
By building meaningful moments in your schedule to insulate you from extra stress you may encounter, add positivity.
Stop stressors such as slasher films and individuals that drain your positive energy, make high demands on you, or make you feel bad about yourself.
Learn to say no to and feel OK with overwhelming requests, and build a perimeter in your life.
Build a secure room. Let a relaxing atmosphere be your home.
Being a highly emotional person means that, whether those things are positive or negative, you are more likely to feel things profoundly. While the highs can be happy, the lows can present issues that can impact the levels of stress, relationships, and ability to cope. Create a strategy for how in stressful circumstances you can handle your emotions and ensure that you are not stressed.
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Some persons are highly sensitive.