Table of Contents
- Individuals with a low threshold for certain physical and emotional stimuli are called hypersensitive.
- This is not a formal diagnosis, but it can be a useful description for those who feel particularly sensitive.
- The most similar characteristics were found between mental health counselors and HSP-identifying therapists.
Silina Liu always felt that there was something wrong with her as a child. She turned to the quiet environment. Whether performing public performances or exams on the violin, she buckled under the pressure. And her emotions came to her without any difficulty.
“I realized that I was more sensitive than other people in my early childhood,” Laiu, a certified mental health therapist, told Business Insider.
Elaine Aron, a psychology researcher, coined the term ” a highly sensitive person ,” or HSP, which Lew uses to describe himself. It characterizes individuals with low thresholds for certain emotional and physical stimuli.
Although hypersensitivity was not explicitly addressed in Lew’s psychology training, she said it improved her understanding of herself and her clients.
Amy Lo, a mental health counselor who deals with highly sensitive individuals, said raising awareness about HSPs is important.
“The worst thing is when you don’t know you’re super sensitive, and then you’ve been told your whole life that you’re weird and problematic and dramatic,” Low said.
Lo and Lew shared 7 characteristics of highly sensitive individuals.
1. You may have some sensory sensitivities
According to Low, HSPs can be “physically very sensitive,” meaning that loud noises, strong scents, or uncomfortable clothing can irritate them.
According to Lew, jump scares and avoidance of violent movie sequences are defining characteristics of HSPs. She likes to watch movies at home because she can skip the awkward scenes.
Although Low notes that having a high level of sensitivity does not automatically indicate autism or ADHD, it does indicate that a person is highly sensitive.
“There’s definitely an overlap, but they’re not the same,” she said.
Elaine Aron calculated in her early research on HSPs that one in five individuals met her criteria for being highly sensitive; This figure is higher than that of individuals with autism or ADHD.
2. You might pick up on people’s moods easily
HSPs are sensitive to their emotional settings in addition to their physical surroundings. Numerous clients, according to Low, “complain of feeling tense going into the room.”
HSPs are usually more aware of and uncomfortable with any obvious signs of sadness or frustration shown by others in the group. “Sometimes, they’re not really consciously aware of it, but they can walk out of a room and feel completely exhausted,” Lowe explained.
“When looking at photos of their loved ones being sad, sensitive individuals also showed more activation in areas that signaled they wanted to do something, to act, than in areas that were empathetic,” Aaron said on his blog.
According to Low, HSPs may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches or drowsiness after an unpleasant encounter.
3. You need more time to recharge
According to Low, HSPs can burn out more quickly and take longer to regain their energy because they are more easily overwhelmed by physical stimulation.
According to Lew, some HSPs are introverts, like her. She avoids parties, for example, and seeks out quiet places where she can think deeply.
However, according to both Low and Lew, HSPs are capable of extroversion; They will need more time to heal.
“Some people really talk through mates and things, some people really need to curl up in bed,” Lowe said.
Low said it’s important for HSPs to understand who they are and how to refuel. “It’s not that they’re weaker or more fragile, it’s just that they’re more specific,” she said. “So they need a certain way of rest and self-care to replenish their energy.”
4. You prioritize deep friendships
Because HSPs are more sensitive, they tend to communicate deeply.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean they have very deep conversations, although that often helps,” Low said. “But it may just be a shared quiet space where they feel each other’s presence passionately.”
Low claims that outgoing HSPs have fewer close friendships than make new ones every week.
Although Lyew notes that a little chat can dampen the spirits of HSPs, they don’t always like it.
“I think sometimes small talk is necessary so it’s inevitable, but in general, with our personal relationships we need to talk about deep topics,” she said.
5. You take time to process emotions
In addition to responding to many physical stimuli, according to Lew, HSPs have an emotional threshold.
“In relationships, we get overwhelmed very easily,” she said. “We usually need more time to calm down and sort out our thoughts.”
Because HSPs often need time to step back and collect their thoughts, this can lead to intense conflict.
6. You falter under pressure or feel enormous stress
According to Lyew, HSPs often struggle under pressure because they are easily overstimulated.
She replied, “Normally, we don’t test either.” Standardized assessment and performance can provide unique challenges.
A hypersensitive person may experience a mental blankness when faced with a situation.
“I remember one time I was in a work meeting and they called me in without mentally preparing me,” Lue said. “So they asked me a question and I knew the right answer, but I gave the wrong answer in the moment.”
HSPs perform well occasionally, but are under a lot of stress the entire time. After the investigation was completed, Aron noted in her blog post that “HSPs were faster and more accurate, but they were more stressed than others” in the German study.
7. Harnessing your sensitivity can help you excel
Although Lo admits that the idea that HSPs are inherently artistic is a bit of a cliché, she believes that some people are “attracted to art because they’ve been misunderstood for most of their lives.”
Making and enjoying art is a way for some HSPs who find it difficult to connect with other HSPs and themselves.
According to Lyew, hyper-perception also contributes to HSPs’ success in other areas. Teachers, supervisors, parents or other HSPs—”being able to see those problems only allows us to get better at what we’re doing,”
Low believes that the highly sensitive designation may be beneficial to certain individuals for this reason. If you are aware of your high level of sensitivity, you can take steps to control and use it
Although Lo admits that the idea that HSPs are inherently artistic is a bit of a cliché, she believes that some people are “attracted to art because they’ve been misunderstood for most of their lives.”
Making and enjoying art is a way for some HSPs who find it difficult to connect with other HSPs and themselves.
According to Lyew, hyper-perception also contributes to HSPs’ success in other areas. Teachers, supervisors, parents or other HSPs—”being able to see those problems only allows us to get better at what we’re doing,”
Low believes that the highly sensitive designation may be beneficial to certain individuals for this reason. If you are aware of your high level of sensitivity, you can take steps to control and use it
Although Lo admits that the idea that HSPs are inherently artistic is a bit of a cliché, she believes that some people are “attracted to art because they’ve been misunderstood for most of their lives.”
Making and enjoying art is a way for some HSPs who find it difficult to connect with other HSPs and themselves.
According to Lyew, hyper-perception also contributes to HSPs’ success in other areas. Teachers, supervisors, parents or other HSPs—”being able to see those problems only allows us to get better at what we’re doing,”
Low believes that the highly sensitive designation may be beneficial to certain individuals for this reason. If you are aware of your high level of sensitivity, you can take steps to control and use it as a strength,” she said.
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