The Highly Sensitive Person |
Seattle, WA
Do need significant time alone to reset?
Do you tend to notice subtle details and nuances and have great intuition?
Have you heard that you’re too sensitive, intense, or too much?
Do you often feel overwhelmed, anxious, or exhausted?
If so, you might be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
Roughly 25% of the population is born with what is scientifically referred to as Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). SPS is an innate trait, similar to being left-handed or right-handed. Being an HSP means you have the ability to experience life with incredible richness, intuition, and depth, but misunderstood and mismanaged, these same abilities can lead chronic anxiety, physical exhaustion, and feeling misunderstood by others.
Wondering if you’re an HSP?
Take the Highly Sensitive Person Test
The link above leads you to the Highly Sensitive Person Scale, developed by Dr. Elaine Aron and used in her formative research on the trait. The scale has been found to be reliable and valid in measuring Sensory Processing Sensitivity, though it is not intended to be a definitive assessment. I encourage you to schedule a consult if you feel unsure.
What Does it Mean to Be Highly Sensitive?
Sensory Processing Sensitivity is found in about 25-30% of the population—that’s around 2 billion people of all shapes and sizes! SPS is not a disorder; rather, it is an innate trait found equally in both men and women.
High sensitivity can be easily described through the acronym D.O.E.S:
Depth of processing
Have you ever thought you had too much awareness? The hallmark of being an HSP is that we observe and reflect on information from our environments more deeply and elaborately than non-sensitive people. Brain scans of people with SPS have shown increased activation of the insula, sometimes referred to as the "seat of consciousness"—the inner hub where your thoughts, emotions, sensory details, and bodily sensations weave together into your awareness of your lived, moment-to-moment experience.
Overstimulation
The fact that we process more means that our body is more receptive to taking in more information. This has many up-sides, but it’s also akin to having less of a filter that helps to prevent overstimulation and overwhelm. A non-sensitive person may be viewed as more resilient, but at the expense of receptivity to more information.
Emotional responsiveness/Empathy
Research shows that HSPs have more activity in their brain's "mirror neuron system", which drives our capacity for empathy. This means our brains are naturally hardwired to resonate more with what others are feeling—especially when picking up on positive emotions like joy and affection.
Sensitive to subtle stimuli
You know those games where you have to find the difference between two similar images? HSPs tend to be better at those than non-HSPs. Sensitivity to subtleties means your nervous system is tuned in differently. You might easily pick up on small nuances, notice faint sounds or smells before anyone else, or find yourself quickly drained by loud, busy environments—or a combination of all three.
Watch this video or show it to a loved one for a more in-depth explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions About HSPs
What is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and how does Sensory Processing Sensitivity work?
Highly Sensitivity Person and Sensory Processing Sensitivity are terms used to identify a temperament trait that about 1 in 4 people are born with. The trait is expressed as awareness, or enhanced perception, of subtle signals in the environment as well as a tendency to be overwhelmed by too many signals. This is an evolutionarily advantageous strategy where the person tends to observe and plan before approaching. It is found not only in humans, but in many other species as well.
A classic example of this trait comes from a famous study on pumpkinseed sunfish: when traps were placed in a pond, "bold" fish immediately swam up to inspect the novel trap and were caught, while "shy" (sensitive) fish hung back, observed from a safe distance, and avoided danger.
Is being a Highly Sensitive Person or have Sensory Processing Sensitivity a mental health disorder?
No, being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is not a mental health condition, disorder, or diagnosis. It is a normal, healthy variation in human temperament. You do not need a formal psychological assessment or medical diagnosis to identify as an HSP, though working with an HSP-knowledgeable therapist in Seattle, WA can help you learn to navigate sensory overload and embrace the strengths of your nervous system.
Is being an HSP the same as being an introvert?
No. While most HSPs are introverted, 30% are extroverted. Some HSPs are also high sensation seeking, meaning they have a high desire for novelty, but are still reticent to take risks.
Is being an HSP the same as having autism or ADHD?
No, though they can overlap. While Sensory Processing Sensitivity, autism, and ADHD are all forms of neurodivergence, SPS shows unique differences in brain activation, emotional empathy, and sensory processing compared to ADHD or autism.
Is high sensitivity the same as trauma or hypervigilence?
No. High sensitivity is an innate, biological trait you are born with, while trauma is an acquired nervous system response caused by overwhelming life experiences. Because both can involve intense reactions to sensory inputs or feeling easily overwhelmed, they can understandably be confused as the same thing—and a person can certainly be both highly sensitive and have experienced trauma.
The primary way to tell them apart is the underlying motivation of the nervous system. High sensitivity is driven by depth of processing. The nervous system takes in details calmly to reflect, understand, and appreciate nuances. Trauma is driven by threat detection (hypervigilence). The nervous system scans the environment anxiously to predict, prevent, or protect against danger.
Read the HSP Blog
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Please note that I typically to respond to inquiries within 48 business hours. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or 988 for mental health support.