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 ...
From a clinical personality perspective, high sensitivity could be considered to have substantial overlaps with hypersensitive narcissism, or generally vulnerable narcissism.
The findings from the Jauk et al. study suggest that a certain form of vulnerable narcissism can emerge in people who become overly excited by the stimuli around them, particularly if they start to put this hypersensitivity on a pedestal when they think about themselves.
Being a highly sensitive person means you are more likely to feel things deeply, whether those things are positive or negative. While the highs can be joyous, the lows can present challenges that can affect your stress levels, relationships, and ability to cope.
There are times when high sensitivities can become something else entirely. Although being overly sensitive is usually harmless, there are occasions when these feelings make a person become manipulative towards another.
The Sensitive Diplomats
Of the four Diplomat personality types, Introverted Advocates (INFJs) and Mediators (INFPs) may be among the most likely to have HSP qualities.
Let me note here that highly sensitive people can also exhibit toxic behaviors. When bringing up your needs, wants feelings or thoughts do you constantly feel criticized, put down, or shamed?
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.”)
HSPs have stronger emotional responses, both positively and negatively. This means they feel higher levels of joy and happiness, but easily upset at times of sadness. They may also get angry when they are hungry or feel hurt when criticized.
Both High Sensitivity and Autism exist on a spectrum and every child has a unique way of experiencing the world based on their inherited traits and also their lived experiences.
However, Silverman points out, not all sensitive people are geniuses. Those who are the most gifted—the people who rank among the smartest 1 to 2 percent—tend to be both introverted and sensitive.
The narcissist creates a relationship with the sensitive person that essentially allows them to feed off the kindness of the HSP to satisfy their insatiable appetite for praise, attention, admiration, power, and material things until the highly sensitive partner is left emotionally drained, exhausted and powerless.
Suffering from depression, PTSD, or substance abuse disorder can mimic NPD. One has to consider all symptoms and possibilities before assigning an explanation or excuse for someone's behavior.
Bjelland noted a belief that all empaths are HSPs, but not all HSPs are empaths. Dr. Orloff said that an empath indeed carries all of the attributes of an HSP but with more developed intuition and a sponge-like ability for absorbing emotions.
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.
Do you usually hold grudges? Highly Sensitive People have a hard time letting go and moving on. They can't help themselves from feeling these emotions even after so much time has passed, as things linger with them for what seems to be forever. As I mentioned earlier, HSPs feel things on a much deeper level than others.
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.
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.
Most HSP's feel both enjoyable and unpleasant moods intensely, this does not mean they have Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder 2 includes episodes of major depression as above, and one or more episodes of hypomania.
HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued. When a partner validates an HSP's words and feelings — and without judgment or condescension — it's very gratifying.
HSPs and Trauma
While some people may be born with a more sensitive personality trait, some may be developed from complex trauma. Equally, those born a HSP may be more likely to suffer from childhood trauma as a result, especially if caregivers aren't able to give appropriate care.