HSPs are typically highly intelligent, and seek out opportunities to do deep work. Many HSPs are academics, artists, researchers, scientists and technicians with high level proficiency.
“The higher an individual's IQ, the more likely the person is to fit the characteristics of a sensitive person.” This correlation has been observed across a wide range of fields, from the arts to science to business.
If you're sensitive, you have much more information to process than your average person. You probably need a bigger processor – i.e. a higher level of general intelligence – to do this. Maybe your sensitivity led to you developing higher processing powers – your high intelligence.
While the personality trait doesn't have an official diagnosis, there are certain ways a person can determine whether or not they are an HSP. For example, a highly sensitive person may be prone to feeling overwhelmed in stressful situations and, therefore, may avoid conflict. “HSPs are reflective, deep thinkers.”
In addition to being great listeners, highly sensitive people also have excellent memories. They remember all the details, especially those they believe are important to their companions and to their relationships.
HSPs often struggle with overthinking, feeling like an imposter, and feeling like they are always doing something wrong.
Most highly sensitive people display rare strengths in key areas of emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ) — the ability to recognize and understand emotions in themselves and others. These strengths including self-awareness and social-awareness.
Most HSPs are either INFJs or INFPs — the ones that don't tend to be ENFJs or ENFPs. Whether you're one or both, it's important to know what stresses you, what overstimulates you and what makes you feel calm, relaxed and happy.
Because HSPs' brains are wired differently, the way they process information and come to a decision is different from people who don't have high SPS. They take more time making decisions, and can feel overwhelmed when asked to make a particularly tough one.
A common struggle for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) is overthinking. “My brain won't stop,” or, “I can't turn it off!” or “I'm overanalyzing again” are common refrains. While I know it can be incredibly frustrating and overwhelming at times, all this thinking actually makes a lot of sense for sensitive folks.
Sights, sounds, smells, and other forms of sensory input may cause a heightened experience for HSPs. A sound that is barely perceptible to most people may be very noticeable, and possibly even painful, to an HSP. There's more to being a highly sensitive person than just being sensitive to stimuli.
Created with Sketch. High sensitivity is thought to have genetic roots, and some specific gene variants have been associated with the trait. But early childhood environments may play a role as well; evidence suggests that early experiences may have an epigenetic effect on the genes associated with sensitivity.
They're more empathic: Sensitive in general, HSPs are particularly perceptive to emotions. They feel emotions more acutely, both for themselves and on the behalf of others, and notice more emotional subtleties. Not surprisingly, they are more attentive and show more concern for others.
Intuitive nurturing skills
In addition to heightened empathy, our sensitivity also leads us to place value on nurturing others. We know not everyone experiences life as intensely as we do, but because we're used to feeling deeply, we strongly desire to bring happiness to the ones we love and help them avoid pain.
It is said that highly sensitive women experience a lot more orgasms in their lives than other people. That's true. But perhaps they do not so much have more orgasms, as researched, but rather a greater ability to have multiple orgasms and to experience any sexual act very intensely.
Yes, You Can Be Sensitive and Strong at the Same Time. In many cultures, sensitivity is associated with weakness… but it shouldn't be. In fact, with the right mindset, you can actually learn how to find strength in sensitivity.
What Is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? Those who are highly sensitive "are really kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic, genuine people who want to help others and the world," said sensitivity expert and psychotherapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT. High sensitivity is an innate trait you can't develop or change.
Seeing the world through another person's eyes is central to the experience of being a highly sensitive person (HSP). There is now a documented, replicable fMRI study showing that HSPs demonstrate stronger empathy than do others in tests involving reactions to images.
Highly sensitive people may be more affected by certain situations such as tension, violence, and conflict, which may lead them to avoid things that make them feel uncomfortable. You might be highly touched by beauty or emotionality. Highly sensitive people tend to feel deeply moved by the beauty they see around them.
Being highly sensitive to the world does not necessarily indicate narcissism, but those who perceive themselves as especially fragile due to their personality paired with an attitude that discomfort must be avoided at all times can be prone to show aspects of hypersensitive narcissism and a sense of entitlement to ...
Are Highly Sensitive People More Susceptible to Trauma? In a word, yes. As highly sensitive people, our nervous systems are more finely tuned than those of non-HSPs. This means we respond to all stimuli in a stronger way, including traumatic experiences.
Due to traits of their personality, heightened empathy or childhood conditioning, many highly sensitive people have repressed anger, and do not know how to deal with their emotions healthily.
While highly sensitive individuals tend to experience hyper-reactivity to sensory information, autistic individuals may have either a hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory information, a combination of both, or neither.
And it's important to know that being a highly sensitive person isn't considered a mental health disorder — and that there's no official way to diagnose someone as HSP and there's no official highly sensitive person test (though there's this quiz from the doctor who coined the term “highly sensitive person.”)