However, there are also benefits to being highly sensitive, especially in the right environment or with support. Some advantages include having a rich inner life and showing increased empathy. Being highly sensitive can also offer strengths in relationships and depth in processing information.
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) have an accommodating temperament combined with a quiet confidence that makes them ideal for most leadership positions. They are sensitive to the needs of others and transparent in their concern for everyone's welfare.
They are able to reflect on their emotions and articulate their thoughts and feelings in sophisticated ways. Because highly sensitive people tend to have advanced emotional skills, they are more likely to be effective in their lives because they can control, understand, and use their emotions productively.
Gifted people are usually also highly sensitive and intense. They are more aware of subtleties; their brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply. At their best, they can be exceptionally perceptive, intuitive, and keenly observant of the subtleties of the environment.
They have a hard time with conflict and tend to avoid confrontation. This can be challenging in the workplace or at home. They also feel responsible for others' expectations, which makes it harder to let people down. HSPS can overcome many of these downsides through therapy and learning to be more assertive.
Living with High Sensitivity
HSPs may struggle to adapt to new circumstances, may demonstrate seemingly inappropriate emotional responses in social situations, and may easily become uncomfortable in response to light, sound, or certain physical sensations.
It is believed that HSPs are not rare, and that about 15-20% of the population are thought to be an HSP. There are also thought to be no significant differences in sex, with equal numbers of males and females being an HSP. Being an HSP is an innate trait, with biologists finding high sensitivity in over 100 species.
Highly sensitive people activate brain areas to a greater extent to interpret in great depth and detail the information of the affective and emotional states of the people around them, especially those close to them.
Nicole Kidman, Kanye West, and Alanis Morisette are among the many who identify as an HSP. “When I read her book for the first time, I just couldn't stop weeping. It was self-recognition after recognition.
Emotions bring people together
Emotions are cues for other people to understand us more and relate to our experience. By expressing our emotions, we are giving other people important information related to who we are as a person, what we care about and value, and/or what we might be needing in certain moments.
HSPs, therefore, need a lot of empathy and understanding, as well as space to express their much stronger emotions. According to Elaine Aron, a psychotherapist dealing with highly sensitive issues, such people tend to cry more than others and are unable to express what they feel.
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.
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.
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.
Sleep is essential for HSPs to process their emotions and soothe their ramped-up senses. It's important to be aware of sleep-hindering habits, such as: overdoing. overidentifying with emotions.
Serotonin Transporter and Highly Sensitive People:
HSPs have a variant of this gene (officially called 5-HTTLPR). The 5-HTTLPR gene variant increases sensitivity to surroundings and is associated with learning from experience. The presence of the gene enhances the effects of both good and adverse childhood experiences.
A verbal safe haven: HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued. Since highly sensitive people feel things more deeply than most, their feelings often get hurt more quickly than others'. HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued.
Not only are HSPs extra sensitive to environmental stimulation, they're also sensitive emotionally. According to Dr. Elaine Aaron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, sensitive people tend to cry more easily than others.
Highly sensitive people's brains are wired differently, and they process information and make decisions differently. Decision fatigue can affect anyone especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but highly sensitive people feel that exhaustion more intensely.
There are a lot of reasons for this since everything can be overwhelming for a highly sensitive person. Some reasons you might be tired include: absorbing people's emotions, exerting too much energy or focus, ignoring your own boundaries, holding back your authenticity, too little sleep, constantly being “on” and more.
The good news is that highly sensitive people aren't more or less emotionally intelligent than others. They just use emotional intelligence differently.
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.
It is important to note that many highly sensitive people are not narcissistic. Highly sensitive people are often aware, empathetic, and excellent listeners, which are the antithesis of narcissism.