If this post caught your attention, chances are you may relate to being sometimes called “too sensitive”, “too emotional”, or even “too dramatic”. There is a good chance that you may possess a personality trait known as sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), and the term used to identify those who possess this trait is called “Highly Sensitive Person” (HSP).

WHAT IS HSP?

HSP isn’t a mental health disorder, but rather a rather common personality trait. Studies have shown that roughly 15-20% of the populations are HSPs. [1]

Interestingly, it is found that this trait has been identified in more than 100 other species as well. And people who possess high SPS may become overwhelmed quickly by others’ moods but that also means that they possess some unique abilities that most people do not have.

5 STRUGGLES OF A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON

It wasn’t only early last year that I’ve came to learn about “HSP” (which also stands for “Highly Sensitive Person”).

This served to explain many of my previously unexplainable tendencies:

1. HSPs are easily impacted by the mood of others- If coping skills are absent, they can be more reactive to both positive and negative stimuli. As HSPs are more sensitive in nature, they generally do not respond well to criticism and are more likely to shut down when someone raises their voice at them.

2. HSPs avoid crowded places due to greater intolerance for high sensory inputs. Generally, HSPs have a higher need for alone time to process their thoughts and feelings which can be sometimes overwhelming for them.

3. HSPs tend to have more difficulty setting boundaries & saying “no”  – HSPs have deep compassion for others, thus making it harder for them to say no to others.  They don’t want to hurt others or let them down. But not being able to say no means that HSPs often have too much on their plate, and they can neglect that downtime which is desperately needed for them to function well.

4. HSPs are less likely to do well under pressure – This ties to the research on performance and arousal. HSPs already experience a baseline level of arousal that is more than most people. So, when under pressure, their arousal is too great for them to perform at optimal levels.

5. HSPs tend to overthink social situations – HSPs find themselves overanalysing details of conversations, body language, tone, facial expressions etc. They might even notice cues in conversations that others miss out on. The struggle comes when there is a tendency to ruminate or overthink these subtle cues which can zap a lot of their energy better preserved for other things.

5 STRENGTHS OF A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON

As much as it can be distressing at times, having this awareness allows me to accept and embrace this part of me, knowing that being a HSP come with its inherent strengths as well.

Some inherent strengths of HSPs can include:

1. HSPs have greater empathy levels – HSPs have greater empathy as they are more attuned to the feelings of others. Research shows that HSPs have more activation in their mirror neurons, which leads to a higher level of empathy. They are more emotionally aware than most other people, so they have an innate need to please others.

2. HSPs are highly creative individuals – Given sufficient time and in the absence of time pressure, HSPs can display high levels of creativity due to their tendency to naturally absorb more stimuli and sensory details around them.

3. HSPs tend to have a higher emotional awareness as they are more aware of their inner emotions states. As a result, it is not uncommon for HSPs to feel deeply connected to nature, animals and the world around them.

4. HSPs are more cautious about taking actions – They have a strong tendency to process information deeply and thus more cautious about taking action most of the time. Research found that humans are characterised as HSP are likely to “pause to check” in novel situations more than others. [2]

5. HSPs pick up on subtleties that others miss. Noticing little details allows HSPs to anticipate the needs of others, which is a huge asset in relationships and at work. This also means that they tend to be able to pick up cues of deception or manipulation easily. 

Individuals who are known to be HSPs tend to be highly adaptive individuals that takes into consideration the needs and feelings of others. Part of growing as a HSP is to recognise your unique strengths and needs, and work with them instead of against them.

References

1. Acevedo, B. P., Aron, E. N., Aron, A., Sangster, M. D., Collins, N., & Brown, L. L. (2014). The highly sensitive brain: an fMRI study of sensory processing sensitivity and response to others’ emotions. Brain and behavior, 4(4), 580–594. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.242
2.  Aron, E. N., Aron, A., & Jagiellowicz, J. (2012). Sensory processing sensitivity: a review in the light of the evolution of biological responsivity. Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc, 16(3), 262–282. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868311434213

Written By:

Jeannette Qhek
BSc in Psychology & Human Resources (Singapore Management University)
Founder of Chill By Nette