Are you a HSP? Highly sensitive person?

[HSP2022]

Apparently 20% of people are classified as a highly sensitive person.

I'm certain I fit the criteria but do any of you?

Is there a way to get absolute clarification?

Do you just accept that's how you are or have you been able to change aspects so you are not as highly sensitive to certain things?

How Common Are Highly Sensitive People?
It’s believed that highly sensitive people account for around 20% of the general population. That means roughly one-fifth of the people in your life are potentially highly sensitive, and you may not even be aware of it. There’s a potential that you may have written-off their behaviour or thought-processes as being irrational or illogical. But really, it’s not so much by choice as it is by the design of their own unique physiology and genetic inheritance. No one chooses to be ‘overly sensitive’ just as no one chooses their sexuality. It just is – it’s an endemic part of what characterises that person.
5 Signs You’re A Highly Sensitive Person
If you feel like you or someone you know is possibly on the borderline of being classed as a highly sensitive person, being aware of the core qualities and behavioural patterns can help you better understand those around you in your life and accept yourself more fully. Here are some of the most common markers:
You Can’t Stand Violence: This is an obvious one. But if you’re highly sensitive, it will likely mean you won’t get on well with violent movies, stories and even be disturbed at some of the more abhorrent crimes in the news.
You’re Emotionally Drained by Other People’s Issues: Another name for a highly sensitive person is being an empath. If you’re of this disposition, it means you’re likely a magnet for other people’s emotions, and it can be very hard to distinguish what yours and what are another’s feelings.
The Pressure of Time Really Gets to You: Multi-tasking and pressure cooker situations don’t tend to be where HSP’s thrive. Anything that involves speed will likely make you feel stressed and anxious, leading to poorer performance than if you could work under your own steam.
Change of Any Sort Can be a Big Deal to You: Routine can often be another big factor that HSP’s rely on to provide a sense of groundedness and stability. So when this is jeopardised, it can often result in frayed nerves due to the ‘over-stimulation’ of doing something new.
Your Environment is Often Your Biggest Enemy: This one is two-fold and leads off from the last point about change. Moving or changing environments can often be overwhelming, as can noisy or oppressive environments such as inner-city or chaotic offices.
The Positive Impact of Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
As we’ve already touched on, being a highly sensitive person isn’t all bad. There some side benefits that can make knowing an HSP an enriching experience or being one yourself, a more desirable person to be around.
You’re able to easily sidestep situations that have the potential for drama: While being overly sensitive and taking things in the wrong light can be sometimes detrimental to inter-personal relationships, having such a keen sense for animosity can help you negate any potential conflict or flair ups.
You can appreciate the beauty of art on a much deeper level: As someone who’s deeply entrenched in feeling into the world around them, positive stimuli such as art, music, poetry and cinema will resonate with you on a much more profound level than those who aren’t HSP.
You have deeper relationships with others: As an HSP, and empath of other people’s feelings, you’re far more likely to be in-tune with their emotional needs and as a result, be a much better communicator and facilitator in maintaining your relationships.
You’re far more grateful for what you have in life: The opposite of being prone to existential worry and fraught nerves is being more predisposed to feeling grateful for the blessings that life has to offer. You’re just as likely to appreciate a small gesture as a large gift.

It's a ridiculous made up concept for people who feel the need to consider themselves special in some way.

You can appreciate the beauty of art at a much higher level.

So the Sistine Chapel will be off the the bucket list then.

If you are going to copy and paste at least credit your source

HSP seems to be on a par with "empath" on the "I'm special, me!" register.

😁😁

And we could just end the thread after the first reply 🤣👏🏻

Sorry! I just googled it and took one of the links from the top and I can't find which one now. I'll keep searching and post the link if I can find it - should have done that in the first place!

I don't agree.

@BrightYellowDaffodil I just started to scan the OP’s second post, the C&D job. It does indeed say that HSP is just another wank term for empath.

What a shock!😂😂😂

Based on 15-20% falling into this category, I'm expecting around 80% of you to disagree. The majority.

I am interested to hear from that small 15-20% though.

Couldnt agree more! A bit like introverts, strangly enough love to tell everyone they are introverts

You do realise that those 5 things basically apply to the vast majority of the population! It is complete bunkum

Pretty self aggrandising isn't it? HSP just have better relationships and appreciate art more and just have deeper emotions, unlike the shallow and insincere 80% of the world. Of course people will say they identify with that. I'd frankly be surprised if anyone said "no, actually, I identify as an insensitive cultural philistine who just doesn't love people that much".

It is essentially a personality trait rather than a specified disorder, but if there are any people that can relate to most of the headings I'd be interested to hear from you.

The being easily startled is a very annoying one and that others can find funny. Is this common with everyone else?

That makes no sense.

Only 10% of over 40s in the U.K. have Type 2 diabetes (source: diabetes.org.uk) but if you posted here asking who has T2, you wouldn’t then find 90% of people saying that diabetes is made up.

HSP / empath is just a made up term - we’re all different, you don’t need a badge for it. Even for your higher appreciation of the Sistine Chapel 🤣

I identify as an insensitive cultural philistine who just doesn't love people that much"

That would be a great username if it were not so long

Don't forget us non HSP also love violence! Can't get enough of it!

I tick pretty much the entire list of 'qualities' OP, and I can tell you now, with my special insight and sensitivity, its a load of old bollocks.

I think people are being a bit unfair to you here @HSP2022 I think the problem is that what you’ve quoted seems a bit over the top. I personally I know I am a highly sensitive person and I identify with quite a lot of those things. I don’t think everyone would agree with it as you say it’s a small small minority highly sensitive but I certainly think I fit that category

OP, don't listen to the cynics on MN, who don't know shit but love to spout their rubbish opinions....

Check out Dr. Judith Orloff on FB.

"no, actually, I identify as an insensitive cultural philistine who just doesn't love people that much".

^ I think that's me actually 🤣
Why do we need to label absolutely everything these days? HSP is all a load of bollocks

What is the (scientifically verified) source for that 20% figure?

If we're going to engage with this, I do LOL at the idea that "HSP/empath" types side step drama.

In my experience they are the misery-making source of it, and everything is about their BIG BIG FEELINGS.

Also it is my experience that as a quiet and reserved type - the type that you'd expect HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE to detect the feelings that I don't show easily - I find that such HIGHLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE trample all over the feelings I am quietly having. And hog all the sympathy in the room, so that desensitised people like myself get overlooked.

See, I can be special too. Just more quietly.