I always felt different growing up, and I knew I was an emotional kid. I used to make up songs about all the feelings I was feeling. I was quick to tears and sensitive. In a lot of ways, these traits were helpful as I was attuned to others feelings and needs, and I have a creative side of me. However, I was over stimulated in a lot of other ways, loud noises, feeling rushed, and being the center of attention was very overwhelming. Today I am still sensitive and you can find me crying at emotional scenes in movies, feeling deeply for those I see suffering, feeling annoyed when loud Harley’s drive by, and still feeling a like an odd person, but I have learned to embrace it, set boundaries for myself, practice mindfulness!
I didn’t really start to put the pieces together until recently that I was a highly sensitive person (HSP). I thought that maybe I was just anxious and introverted, which is true, but it was more than being anxious and introverted, it was my personality. I started to put the pieces together as I was writing my story for a book I am working on. Initially, the book was going to be about stress management for type As however as I started to write and get more into my own history I realized that I was explaining what I had been reading and listening about as of late. With this knowledge, the focus of my book has shifted and will be focused on the HSP and how mindfulness has been a path of peace for myself.
HSP is a personality trait that includes about 20% of the population. We are made up of about 70% introverts, and 30% extraverts, and we are equally male and female. Dr. Elaine Aron who coined the term in the 1990s has done extensive research on the Highly Sensitive Persons and has come up with a helpful questionnaire to measure HSP traits. The contents of the self-tests are not meant to diagnose or exclude the diagnosis of any condition.
HSP Scale
TRUE or FALSE
____ 1. Are you easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input?
____ 2. Do you seem to be aware of subtleties in your environment?
____ 3. Do other people’s moods affect you?
____ 4. Do you tend to be more sensitive to pain?
____ 5. Do you find yourself needing to withdraw during busy days, into bed or into a darkened room or any place where you can have some privacy and relief from stimulation?
____ 6. Are you particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine?
____ 7. Are you easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens close by?
____ 8. Do you have a rich, complex inner life?
____ 9. Are you made uncomfortable by loud noises?
___ 10. Are you deeply moved by the arts or music?
___ 11. Does your nervous system sometimes feel so frazzled that you just have to go off by yourself?
___ 12. Are you conscientious?
___ 13. Do you startle easily?
___ 14. Do you get rattled when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time?
___ 15. When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment do you tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating)?
___ 16. Are you annoyed when people try to get you to do too many things at once?
___ 17. Do you try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things?
___ 18. Do you make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows?
___ 19. Do you become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around you?
___ 20. Does being very hungry create a strong reaction in you, disrupting your concentration or mood?
___ 21. Do changes in your life shake you up?
___ 22. Do you notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, works of art?
___ 23. Do you find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once?
___ 24. Do you make it a high priority to arrange your life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations?
___ 25. Are you bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes?
___ 26. When you must compete or be observed while performing a task, do you become so nervous or shaky that you do much worse than you would otherwise?
___ 27. When you were a child, did parents or teachers seem to see you as sensitive or shy?
If you answered more than fourteen of the questions as true of yourself, you are probably highly sensitive.
There are some great resources for HSPs out there, such as Facebook groups, meetups, books and therapists who are attuned to the needs of HSPs. If you are interested in seeking counseling or coaching from me please contact me to schedule an appointment.
HSP Scale © 1997 E. Aron (For additional information see Aron & Aron, JPSP, 1997 or email aron@ic.sunysb.edu)
