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.
If you're a highly sensitive person, you have a heightened awareness of the stimuli around you, which can be good or bad. HSPs tend to be bothered by violence and can easily be overwhelmed, which leads them to avoid certain situations. Highly sensitive people can also be very creative and have a deep level of empathy.
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.
Honesty (really is) the best policy — always.
For a relationship with an HSP to be successful, it is important that honesty be a cornerstone of the relationship. Lies, in general, are damaging. But when a highly sensitive person finds out they have been lied to or deceived, the results can be even more devastating.
This means talking in terms of the other person's interests and listening to them when they talk about themselves. This shows you're interested in their values, attitudes, experiences, and beliefs. You're interested in who they are as a person, which can be a real turn-on, especially to a fellow HSP.
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.
HSPs' sensitivity is a (relationship) superpower. HSPs are naturally romantic and nurturing. They tend to love deeply, but are also more impacted by conflict in the relationship.
The introverted (I) intuitive (N) types (“INs”)—INFJ, INFP, INTJ and INTP—are among the most “sensitive” of the personality types. This is especially true of those who are more turbulent than assertive.
As a psychotherapist, I have found taking things personally to be a common struggle that many experience. And highly sensitive people (HSPs) have an active inner world and a heightened nervous system, which makes them more prone to these experiences than others may be.
“I feel so sorry and embarrassed that my actions created so much havoc for you.” “I feel sad that I was caught up in my feelings and didn't realize the impact it was having on you.” “I feel guilty…” Show that you understand how it impacted them – whether you agree that it “should have” or not. Express empathy!
You cannot be cured of being highly sensitive, but you can learn to cope with life in a good way. If you do not understand yourself and your strengths, you can easily feel more vulnerable than you really are. You may become more self-critical, which can cause your self-image to deteriorate.
Dr Elaine Aron often mentions in her essays that highly sensitive women are considered great lovers. They experience ecstasy more intensely, and at the same time are open to the other person, attentive, empathetic. They listen to the needs of their partner, they look at the reactions of the other person's body.
Highly sensitive people are not the same as emotionally needy, whiny, complainers. They aren't victims, and they're not making up problems just to get attention. We all know people like that, but there are key differences: Victims are focused on themselves, while HSPs are often focused on others.
The 5 Love Languages (Chapman, 2015) include: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Words are powerful for HSPs, who tend to replay conversations over and over again.
Relationships can be challenging for a highly sensitive person. But the difficulty is often that HSPs feel so good about helping others, we end up putting their needs before our own.
HSP struggle to witness arguments, hear raised voices or see any form of physical violence because they are highly attuned to the emotions and energy of other people. They also tend to avoid conflict because they don't like the thought of upsetting others, or other people being upset with them.
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.