Chatting about Highly Sensitive People

Are you a deep thinker? Are you detail oriented? Do you take longer to make decisions than others? Do you react strongly to criticism? Do open offices drive you bonkers? Do you notice a loud sound or strange smell before everyone else? If you answered yes to some of these, you may be a highly sensitive person. Let’s chat about highly sensitive people.

What are Highly Sensitive People?

I had never even heard the term, “Highly Sensitive People,” otherwise known as HSP, until coming across it somewhere about two years ago.  What is an HSP? A “highly sensitive person” is more responsive to physical and emotional stimuli than the general population. According to Dr. Elaine Aron, who created the label, the HSP “has a sensitive nervous system, is aware of subtleties in his/her surroundings, and is more easily overwhelmed when in a highly stimulating environment.” I was pretty confident that I saw myself in this description.

Here are some clues from Dr. Elaine Aron to help you decide if you are an HSP:

• Are you easily overwhelmed by such things as bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens nearby?
• Do you get rattled when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time?
• Do you make it a high priority to arrange your life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations?
• Do you need to withdraw during busy days, into bed or a darkened room or some other place where you can have privacy and relief from the situation?
• Do you make a point of avoiding violent movies and TV shows?
• When you were a child, did your parents or teachers see you as sensitive or shy?

Apparently, HSP is common in 15% to 20% of the population.  The brains of “Highly Sensitive People” work differently than other people’s because the brain of an HSP processes information and reflects on it more deeply. So even if one wears glasses, for example, one sees more than others by noticing more. An HSP is more aware of subtleties.

An HSP is also more easily overwhelmed and overstimulated when things are too intense, too complex, or too chaotic.

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Want to find out if you, your spouse, or one of your children is an HSP?

You can take a test here.

I am an HSP all the way. I am very sensitive to strong smells and flavors (in fact, I am fairly sure I am a supertaster,) loud noises (lawn movers, ice machines, fireworks, blaring music, loud chewing,) violence in a movie,  pain, and am deeply moved by music. Discovering there is such a thing as HSP was a huge relief to me. Understanding that I have a hyper-sensitive nervous system finally put all the pieces of the puzzle in place for me. My entire life I have felt more affected than others by stimuli, and I am now better at recognizing when it is all too much.

What can you do when you are feeling sensory overload? Here are some ways to find relief:

 

1. If a room is too loud, the lights are too bright, or there is too much commotion, quietly walk away.
2. If you are somewhere that you know will be noisy,  bring earplugs with you.
3. When sounds from another room are too much, put in earbuds and listen to soft music.
4. When traveling,  always bring earplugs and an eye mask, so sounds and lights don’t bother you when trying to sleep.
5. Make time for quiet by going for a walk, reading, writing, sitting outside in the sun, or some other soothing activity.
6. Limit your caffeine intake.
7. Plan decompression time into your schedule.
8. Avoid violent movies or television programs.
9. Identify your triggers so you can best avoid or limit them.
10. Carry a scarf with you to use to cover your mouth and nose if smells are too bothersome.

 

Here are some resources that may help if you are an HSP or know someone close to you who is:

1. The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You. (When I first started reading this book, I kept yelling out to my husband, “Oh my gosh! She is writing about me! This is what I do! This is how I feel!)
2. The Highly Sensitive Person’s Workbook
3. The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them
4. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking (an excellent read!)
5. 16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People
6. 13 Things anyone who loves a highly sensitive person should know

Learning and understanding about HSP help us to be more aware, more compassionate, and more understanding of those who are hyper-sensitive.

Are you a highly sensitive person, or do you have an HSP in your life?  Please comment below and know you are not alone.  I would love to hear your stories.

Natalie xo

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here