Learning objectives and topics
Highly Sensitive Person... or Highly Sensitive Perception?
As many as 1 in 5 people is a highly sensitive person (HSP). Just as among humans, Highly Sensitive Perception also occurs in many animal species in nature! Take the HSP test and read more information about the characteristics of high sensitivity.
Who or what is a highly 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 rest sooner. This is because your sensory experience is more intense, complex, and chaotic, and you perceive things as new or different more quickly; you are stimulated more by stimuli than the average person.
So it has two sides:
- You are more aware of subtleties than others.
But.. - You also become overwhelmed more easily.
You cannot choose to be an HSP
It is innate and therefore has no direct relationship with spirituality. In other words; High sensitivity is independent of religious belief or intelligence and rationality.However, an HSP generally has a greater capacity for empathy and, due to his or her natural curiosity, will be more quickly drawn to spiritual subjects.
Do you recognize yourself in this as a highly sensitive person?
- Are you easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or nearby sirens?
- Do you find it difficult when you have a lot to do in a short time?
- Do you want to avoid violent movies and TV programs?
- Do you need to retreat to bed, a darkened room, or another place where you can have privacy and relief from the situation during busy days?
- Do you make it a high priority to structure your life to prevent unpleasant or overwhelming situations?
- Do you notice or enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, or works of art?
- Do you have a rich and complex inner life?
- Did your parents or teachers find you sensitive or shy as a child?
Important to know as a highly sensitive person
Your trait 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 congenital
Biologists have even 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 observant before acting. The brains of highly sensitive people (HSPs) actually work a little differently from those of others.
This property is not a new discovery, but it is misunderstood.
Because HSPs prefer to observe before entering new situations, they are often called 'shy'. But shyness is learned, not innate. In fact, 30% of HSPs are extroverted, although the trait is often labeled as introversion. It is also referred to as inhibition, anxiety, or neuroticism. Some HSPs behave in these ways, but doing so is not innate and is not a basic characteristic.
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 that they feel abnormal.
source: Elaine Aron – https://hsperson.com/
Most recent articles on High Sensitivity
How to stay standing 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 or 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 surfaces as intuition. This represents a survival strategy found in many species, always in a minority of its members.
