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Highly Sensitive Person... Or Highly Sensitive Perception?
As many as 1 in 5 five people is a Highly Sensitive Person (hsp). Just like among humans, Highly Sensitive Perception also occurs in many animal species in nature! Take the hsp test and learn more about the characteristics of high sensitivity.
Who or what is a high-sensitive person?
In brief; in an hsp the brain processes more sensory information and he or she reflects on it more deeply. A natural consequence of this is that, when you notice more over a longer period of time, you also need a faster rest. This is because your sensory experience is more intense, complex, chaotic and you experience something as new or different more quickly; you are more stimulated by stimuli than the average person.
So there are two sides to it:
- You are more aware of subtleties than others.
But. - You also get overwhelmed more easily.
You can't choose to be hsp
It is innate and therefore also has no direct relationship with spirituality. In other words; High Sensitivity is independent of beliefs or intelligence and rationality. But an hsp-er usually does have a greater empathy capacity and will be more likely to be drawn to spiritual topics due to his or her natural curiosity.
Do you recognise yourself in this as a high-sensitive person?
- Do you get easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics or sirens nearby?
- Do you find it difficult when you have a lot to do in a short space of time?
- Want to avoid violent films and TV programmes?
- Do you need to retreat to bed or a darkened room or some other place where you can have privacy and relief from the situation during busy days?
- Do you make it a high priority to design your life to avoid annoying or overwhelming situations?
- Do you notice or enjoy delicate or fine smells, tastes, sounds or works of art?
- Do you have a rich and complex inner life?
- Did your parents or teachers think you were sensitive or shy as a child?
Important to know as a high-sensitive person
Your characteristic is normal
It occurs in 15 to 20% of the population - too many to be a disorder, but not enough to be well understood by the majority of people around you.
It is innate
In fact, biologists have found it in more than 100 species (and there are probably many more), from fruit flies, birds and fish to dogs, cats, horses and primates. This trait reflects a certain type of survival strategy, being perceptive before acting. The brains of highly sensitive individuals (HSPs) actually work a little differently from others.
This feature is not a new discovery, but it has been misunderstood
Because HSPs prefer to look before entering new situations, they are often called ‘shy’. But shyness is learned, not innate. In fact, 30% of HSPs are extroverts, although the trait is often labelled as introversion. It is also called inhibition, anxiety or neuroticism. Some HSPs behave in these ways, but it is not innate to do so and not the basic trait.
Sensitivity is valued differently in different cultures
In cultures where it is not appreciated, HSPs usually have low self-esteem. They are told ‘don't be so sensitive’ so they feel abnormal.
Source: Elaine Aron - https://hsperson.com/
Most recent articles on High Sensitivity
How to stand your ground in a world that overwhelms you
In her national bestseller, The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms you, author Elaine Aron describes a distinctive personality trait that affects as many as one in five people. According to Dr Aron's definition, the highly sensitive person (HSP) has a sensitive nervous system, is aware of subtleties in his/her environment and is more easily overwhelmed in a highly stimulating environment.
But the most important quality is that, compared to the 80% without the trait, they process everything around them much more - reflecting, thinking about it, making associations. When this processing is not fully conscious, it emerges as intuition. This represents a survival strategy found in many species, always in a minority of its members.
