“Highly sensitive person” is a term used for those who have an increased activity in the central nervous system and are affected physically and emotionally. Some may refer to this as having difficulty in their sensory process sensitivity, or SPS for short. However, while highly sensitive people are sometimes described negatively as being “too sensitive”, it is a personality trait that tends to challenge their strengths.
High sensitivity is linked to introversion. Those that are introverts may experience high sensitivity. However, this does not mean that introversion is not one of the Big Five. While extroverts feel energized by their surroundings, introverts on the other hand recharge by spending time alone away from loud social settings. It is important to know that both introverts and extroverts can have SPS but can differ from time to time.
Big Five Personality Traits –
- Openness
- Neuroticism
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
Out of these five traits, high sensitivity may be associated the closest with conscientiousness, which describes someone to be extra careful and detail oriented.
What Does a HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) Experience?
- Sensitivity to loud sounds and bright lights
- Sensitivity to caffeinated substances and medications
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Feeling drained after spending time with groups of people
- Affected by the energy and moods of others
- Stressed out easily
- Difficulty adapting to change
- Avoids watching violent scenes on television
What Does it Feel Like to Be a Highly Sensitive Person?
Each HSP may experience different feelings depending on the particular situation that they are in or what stage they are in during their lives. On the other hand, when you are young and unaware of your high sensitivity, you may experience a feeling of being extremely overwhelmed. You may experience being overwhelmed by lights, sounds or emotions – yours and that of others.
A HSP can feel as though something is wrong with them – that they are overly sensitive and weak. This can bring an additional amount of stress around them and can be overwhelming. Further, if kids grow up in an environment where being sensitive is valued and is not seen as a negative trait, they can have a positive experience growing up and would be able to identify how to cope with being highly sensitive.
Being highly sensitive may have different unique experiences such as having a strong intuition, meaning that you are able to identify the energy around your surroundings and have strong instincts to danger or a negative atmosphere. HSPs are often able to sense things that are happening around them that are not being named. However, many HSPs can experience feeling overly exhausted due to the fact that being highly sensitive affects the process stimuli in the brain deeply.
Common Signs of HSP
You have been called an overly sensitive person. This does not mean that you are, but it can be shown due to your surroundings.
You are easily overwhelmed. HSPs may typically experience overstimulation from one of the five senses: smell, sight, touch, taste, and sound. Some people may find that one or many of these senses can overwhelm them at different times.
You are easily upset by violence. Since a HSP is highly empathetic, any form of display of violence can be extremely upsetting. As a result, you may often avoid watching violent movies or even the news.
You avoid stressful situations. A HSP can structure their lives so that they can avoid overwhelming and stressful situations in their lives. This can start happening unconsciously at first but many HSPs may realize that it is true for them.
You were called shy growing up. In your adult life, being identified as a HSP may cause you to be labeled as “shy”, especially as a child.
You are sensitive to pain. Increased sensitivity to pain is highly common with HSPs. This is related to the sensitivity of having a sensory input as well as the extra processing that goes through the stimuli of the brain.