GO FOR QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY. When you're truly sorry for something you did, the best thing to do first is accept full responsibility – but keep it concise. Long, drawn-out apologies can seem inauthentic and water down your true intentions. Side note, they can make you seem weak, which you're not.
Take Responsibility
Saying, "When I said [the hurtful thing], I wasn't thinking. I realize I hurt your feelings, and I'm sorry," acknowledges that you know what it was you said that hurt the other person, and you take responsibility for it.
Being an HSP comes with both advantages and challenges. It is possible to be too easily offended by people who mean no harm or who are trying their best to be kind.
Avoid telling them that they are, “too sensitive,” or that they need to toughen up. Instead, try validating their emotions. Highly sensitive people are generally aware that they feel more deeply and intensely than others. Sensitivity is not a weakness!
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 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.
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.
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 ...
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.
Dont respond immediately
As best you can, resist the urge to respond right away. Take a step back from the situation and think about how youre going to process it. Wait until youre in a calmer, clearer space before you say anything.
The Takeaway Apology: "I am sorry but..."
“I am sorry, but other people thought what I said was funny.” “I'm sorry, but you started it.” “I am sorry but I just couldn't help it.” “I am sorry, but I was just speaking the truth.”
Two of the traits that align with high sensitivity – Intuitive and Feeling – are indicative of the Diplomat Role. Of the four Diplomat personality types, Introverted Advocates (INFJs) and Mediators (INFPs) may be among the most likely to have HSP qualities.
#1 Most Sensitive Type: INFJ
INFJs usually exhibit high levels of sensitivity and have a deep affinity for other people's feelings. INFJs have strong emotional connections to both their own feelings and the feelings of others.
Sensitive people have a higher likelihood of having low self-esteem. As a highly sensitive person, you may have learned to hide the depth of your emotions or your propensity to become overwhelmed. You may be trying to be “normal” or fit in with “risk-takers,” a temperament trait highly prized in our society.
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.
The three subtypes of highly sensitive people include Aesthetic Sensitivity (AES), Low Sensory Threshold (LST), and Ease of Excitation (EOE). Before we explain what each of these means, it's important to note that HSPs can fit into more than one subtype, each subtype has its own characteristics.
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 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.
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 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.