HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON (HSP)

VARIANT; HIGH SENSATION SEEKER (HSS)

A Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is someone who is more aware of subtle differences and is more susceptible to impressions and stimuli from his or her surroundings than the average person. If the person can handle this well, then high sensitivity is a trait that could be used in a positive way and to the person's advantage. After all they have something that most others don't. What exactly? Read on!

What makes a person high sensitive?

All day long a person becomes aware of his surroundings through his senses such as hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling and this way forms impressions. Through an extremely good functioning process of the brains in combination with the nerve system one or more senses work better with a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).  A HSP picks out around 10 different varieties of stimuli compared to other people two or three (Susan Marlette Hart – Living with high sensitivity). Only 15 to 20 percent of all people are highly sensitive, though the extent and which senses vary from person to person. Of these 15-20 percent only a small percentage is a High Sensation Seeker (HSS), but still a HSP, which feels like living with one foot on the break and the other on the acceleration. Books on HSP will only be partly about you; the part with the foot on the break. Outcomes of tests of being a HSP (for example on the internet) will therefor be confussing. You are a special kind of HSP.

Possible lesser sides of high sensitivity

A Highly Sensitivity Person is someone who is more susceptible to impressions and stimuli from his or her surroundings than the average person. This has advantages and disadvantages. Many HSP consider their ‘high’ sensitivity as being ‘over’ sensitive. They can get easily overwhelmed by certain situations and stimuli. In this case rest is  a necessity. HSP will need less rest, but tend to overstep their boundaries and ingore the physical signs. Non-HSP often show no consideration for needing rest and regularly think the HSP is exaggerating. This can give many HSP the idea that something is wrong with them and can give them the feeling that they are different than others.

 

For many HSP it is a relief to find out that to experience things and behave in a certain way is part of being highly sensitive and it is not a sign of being overworked or even going mad. These particular experiences are a characteristic and part of being a HSP. If the HSP is able to handle the stimuli well, being highly sensitive doesn’t have to be a problem and can even be an advantage. After all one or more of the senses work better than with most people and this could mean for example better career chances if those senses are a pre-requisite for the job.   

 

Advantages of being highly sensitive

THE REST IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION