Do you pick up on things other people don’t notice? Get overly stimulated and need time out more than others? Or get told you’re too sensitive, or you think too much?

You could be what psychologists call a highly sensitive person or HSP, and I’m here to tell you, there’s nothing wrong with you.

If you’re not a highly sensitive person, you might read that description and think I’m describing an introverted, shy, or neurotic person. And if you’re an HSP, you might have been called all of the above. I know, I have, and while I’ve contemplated those ideas, they don’t totally capture the essence of who I am.

I’m a highly sensitive person. And, I am not alone. About 15 – 20% of the population are highly sensitive people.

WHAT IS A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON OR HSP?

Psychologists Elaine and Arthur Aron first identified this unique group of people, which they called highly sensitive people, in 1997. They found this personality trait was quite distinctive from other personality traits like neuroticism or introversion.

Highly sensitive people are more sensitive to their environment than other people. This sensitivity leads to certain traits and behaviours like;

·         Avoiding violent movies and TV shows

·         Wanting to strip off as soon as you get home

·         Feeling deep awe, gratitude, and appreciation

·         Being self-reflective

·         Having a rich inner life

·         Avoiding loud music or noise, bright lights and strong smells

·         Needing alone time

·         Feeling overwhelmed

Highly sensitive people’s sensitivity doesn’t come from their senses. It doesn’t mean their eyesight or hearing is more sensitive. Instead, their sensitivity comes from a more alert or reactive nervous system. It’s an evolutionary survival strategy that is also found in many other animals.

HSPs tend to have a deeper cognitive processing of stimuli with more brain activation than neurotypical people. That means how they process the information coming into the brain is different from most people.

And the stimuli they’re sensitive to isn’t just in their external environment, HSPs tend to process internal stimuli like pain, hunger, caffeine, and medications just as intensely.

THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING AN HSP

You might be forgiven for thinking that being an HSP is a negative thing. Especially in a world where we’re bombarded by stimuli. But it isn’t. It can be challenging because HSPs are highly sensitive to the bad stuff, but it can be awesome because we’re highly sensitive to the good stuff, too. You can bet your boots, your HSP friend is getting way more joy out of sitting under a waterfall than you would.

While HSPs might need to spend more time managing their sensitivity and controlling their environment, if they make the right choices, HSPs can live extraordinary lives rich in creativity, deep and meaningful relationships, spiritual connection, and personal growth.

LIVING WITH AN HSP

HSPs can be sensitive to all sorts of external stimuli, from light, sounds, and textures to other people’s moods and feelings. This can make living with other people quite challenging. As an HSP, I mostly prefer silence. My husband, on the other hand, loves loud music and frequently comes home complaining that “this house is like a library” before heading over to the stereo.

Come nighttime; I’ve got all the lights dimmed in the bedroom, bathroom, and dressing room until, of course, my husband arrives and complains he can’t see anything before switching on the overhead lights. It’s a wonder how we’ve managed to stay together for 20 years!

Highly sensitive people tend to suffer and struggle in high stimuli or emotionally difficult environments more than other people. But when they get their environment right, and it’s good and healthy, they thrive more than others.

HSP IN THE FAMILY

Being highly sensitive is a genetic trait. That means you might recognise this character trait in other members of your family. But childhood trauma can also cause sensory processing sensitivity.

Whether the sensory processing sensitivity is genetic or acquired, HSP children benefit more from a good environment and are harmed more from a bad environment than other children.

The highly sensitive nature of HSP children mean that they are particularly sensitive to parenting methods and this should be taken into account if you suspect your child is an HSP.

At the end of this blog I will share some tips on coping with being an HSP.

BENEFITS OF BEING AN HSP

As a psychologist and coach, my sensory processing sensitivity serves me well. I’m able to pick up on the more subtle things going on with my clients, like body language, moods, and emotions. This ability means I can respond empathically to my clients and help them work through their inner world.

With their heightened sensory processing and greater activation in the brain from stimuli, HSPs tend to be more intuitive and reflective. Their intuitive abilities develop from their attention to detail and a greater awareness of the subtleties of life. While their reflective nature develops from their own sensitivities and the need to process a greater volume of incoming information.

HSPs also tend to be more self-aware, conscientious, creative, and imaginative. Combine all of this and, as you can imagine, the inner world of an HSP is quite rich and complex.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON SCALE (HSPS)

The Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) is a 27-item psychometric test that measures this genetic trait. It has three underlying dimensions.

·         AWARENESS OF AESTHETICS IN ENVIRONMENT (AES) – sensitivity to environment, the arts, other people and self

·         LOW SENSORY THRESHOLD (LST) – unpleasant arousal, avoidance of violence and intense stimuli

·         EASE OF EXCITATION (EOE) – easily aroused and overwhelmed

Sensory processing sensitivity expresses itself differently in each individual. Some HSPs will score higher than others on the different underlying dimensions. For example while one person might score high for AES and low on EOE another might score high on EOE and low on AES.

These are important distinctions because AES is a more positive aspect of being a highly sensitive person and correlates with the personality trait openness.

On the other hand, LST and EOE express the more negative aspects of being highly sensitive.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND MENTAL HEALTH

While heightened intuition and the ability to reflect are great character strengths, on the flip side, HSPs heightened sensitivity means they’re more affected by their environment, which can become overwhelming, hence the appreciation of quiet alone time.

The increased sensory processing and brain activation of HSPs trying to process incoming information would also suggest increased mental workload leading to fatigue and exhaustion and, again, needing more quiet alone time.

HSPs who score high on EOE and LST tend to suffer more psychological distress. Studies have shown that EOE and LST are related to neuroticism, anxiety, depression, autism, subjective health complaints, and work stress. AES is related to anxiety but not depression.

Many HSPs have never heard of the term and are unaware that 20% of the population are just like them. In societies that favour extraversion, gregariousness, and high-stimulus environments, HSPs often end up feeling like something is wrong with them, causing further psychological distress.

Completing the Highly Sensitive Person Scale can help you to understand yourself better, accept your sensory processing sensitivity as a gift, and help you adjust your life to accommodate your sensory processing sensitivity better.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND AUTISM

While there is some overlap between autism and highly sensitive people such as sensitivity to light, fabrics and intollerance of loud noise, they are distinctly different. Traditionally, autism was seen as a neuropathological issue while HSP is seen as a personality trait.

More recently, autism has been seen as two distinct phenomena. First, non-pathological neurodivergence as expressed by a spectrum of behavioural traits that has little negative effect on one’s life. The other phenomenon is neuro-pathological mutations leading to neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders. As such autism is often accompanied with other neurological issues such as ADHD, cognitive impairment, speech problems and epilepsy.

An autistic person may have some HSP traits, but they tend to score higher on the negative traits, EOE and LST, and lower on the positive traits of AES. And while an autistic person may have some HSP traits, most HSPs do not have autistic traits or any other neurological problems.

What’s more, while autistic people can have HSP traits that make them sensitive to other people’s emotions and moods, some might struggle with interpreting conventional social cues or expressing empathy in typical ways.

In contrast, HSPs are often highly attuned to social cues and emotions, making them empathetic and responsive. They might also reflect on and articulate emotions easily, tending to consider their responses before acting.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

HSPs’ sensory processing is just as sensitive to their internal environment as it is to their external environment. This means, highly sensitive people can suffer more from headaches, migraines, chronic pain and chronic fatigue than others.

HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE AND SPIRITUALITY

HSPs tend to have a rich spiritual life. Perhaps it’s their sensitivity to the more subtle energies, to that which we can not see or hear but only feel intuitively. That sensitivity profers them a sort of connection to the world of spirit, a deeper connection to that which is.

HSPs tend to spend time in quiet contemplation and meditation, time without stimulus and distraction, which opens the doors to a deeper presence within. Due to their deep processing and heightened sensory awareness, they’re often more receptive to altered states of consciousness, mystical experiences, and exceptional human experiences.

This sensitivity can enhance awareness of subtleties, potentially fostering profound experiences of unity, awe, or connection often linked to spiritual and transpersonal states. Their focus is not on the gross material world but on the more subtle impressions.

TIPS FOR THRIVING AS A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON

• Set boundaries to manage energy.

• Prioritize self-care practices, such as meditation, quiet time, or creative outlets.

• Communicate your needs to loved ones to foster understanding.

• Seek HSP-friendly work environments that support your sensitivity.

• Embrace your sensitivity as a strength rather than a weakness.

• Connect with and make friends with other HSP.

• Practice mindfulness to reduce anxiety and stimuli impact.

• Spend time in nature.

• Use floatation tanks to rejeuvenate.