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Highly Sensitive Person, or HSP, is a term coined by psychologist Elaine Aron. According to Aron’s theory, HSPs are a subset of the population who are high in a personality trait known as...
Mar 1, 2024 · A highly sensitive person (HSP) is a neurodivergent individual who is thought to have an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. Some refer to this as having sensory processing sensitivity, or SPS for short.
- Elizabeth Scott, Phd
Jan 20, 2023 · What is a highly sensitive person? 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.
- You absolutely abhor violence and cruelty of any kind. Everyone hates violence and cruelty, but for highly sensitive people, seeing or hearing about it can be extremely unsettling.
- You’re frequently emotionally exhausted from absorbing other people’s feelings. Although highly sensitive people are not necessarily empaths, HSPs tend to “absorb” other people’s emotions, almost like an empath would.
- Time pressure really rattles you — more so than other people. In school, timed quizzes or speed tests made you extremely anxious — perhaps to the point of not being able to perform as well as you normally would.
- You withdraw often. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you need plenty of downtime, preferably alone. You often find yourself withdrawing to a quiet, darkened room at the end of a long day — in order to lower your stimulation level, soothe your senses, and recharge.
- You're extremely empathetic. HSPs possess a keen ability to sense others’ feelings, needs, insecurities, etc. Science proves it: HSPs are shown to have more active mirror neurons, which are responsible for understanding others' emotions.
- You cherish reflection. As a highly sensitive person, you operate best when you have time and space to reflect before responding. You pick up on nuances and are skilled at making connections and integrating complex information.
- You hear “don't take things personally” (a lot). HSPs tend to react more strongly to situations. You may sometimes wonder why you are so deeply affected by the world around you while others brush things off easily.
- You freeze under pressure. Working under a deadline might make you anxious, and speaking up in meetings is terrifying. Having a giant to-do list is overwhelming.
Jul 6, 2023 · Highly sensitive person (HSP) is a term conceived by psychologists Elaine and Arthur Aron in the 1990s to describe people with increased sensitivities—physically, emotionally and/or socially.
A person with a particularly high measure of SPS is considered a highly sensitive person (HSP). Hypersensitivity, however, has been traditionally viewed as a trait associated with negative psychological outcomes—despite its many benefits.
