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?

Well a lot of these HSP struggle to understand that others have internal lives. That poster (BYD) was simply making a comment on how people express emotions but the HSP seem to think that unless you overreact to everything and talk and length about how deeply you feel, you feel nothing. So BYD post suggesting that these people react excessively is seen as an attack on anyone showing emotion, as if you don’t react excessively you’re incapable of showing any emotion.

It’s like my son, he has trouble picking up on other people’s emotion cues as he’s autistic. We practice by doing ‘big’ faces. I am happy, look at my HAPPY face. I am sad, look at my SAD CRYING face. I think it seems like those with HSP have a similar struggle, it’s like if somebody isn’t emoting in a hugely excessive way they’re unable to understand that the person still has deep internal thoughts/connections/feelings, because they themselves feel the need to express theirs in a very OTT way. That’s why they genuinely think they feel more than others, when in fact it’s just that others show it less.

I would be interested to see if any of these people who identify as HSP do have any ND though. It does seem to pinpoint and attract those who feel misunderstood/struggle to understand others/can’t regulate their emotions well. And of course it would be easy to attract those people as if their ND isn’t seen and understood by themselves and others (as it often isn’t, especially in women) they could definitely see this as an ‘answer.’ Why am I different? Oh, I must be HSP, that explains everything. That’s why I hate any changes to my routine, that’s why I struggle to comprehend the emotions others have in comparison to my own, that’s why I can struggle to regulate my emotions and have socially inappropriate reactions to some things. All these things fit with being an HSP. They also fit with multiple ND that are often undiagnosed, especially when I was a child.

It seems people who show emotion trigger you? Perhaps a therapist can help you with that.

I'm fine, but thank you for asking. What pisses me off - rather than "triggering" me - is people who think that they have the right to dump their emotional load on others, rather than addressing the issue which makes them experience such heightened emotions in the first place and/or recognising the impact on others. An example is the PP above who suffered a bereavement but was told by a HSP/empath/[insert other special label here] that they felt her grief more than she did. There's lots of references here to the Sistine Chapel Screamer but ultimately what right did that woman have to disturb other people or wreck their visit?

Everyone has emotions but some people need to get a grip on theirs because it has an adverse effect on others.

Being HSP is not something people decided to say just to be special, that's ridiculous. There are a lot of research done and being done about the subject. The studies show that is a trait of personality that comes from your genes, you are born like that. And it's a continuum, which means some are highly sensitive others are in between and on the other end not so sensitive. Does not mean being highly sensitive is special or better, it has lots of negatives and positives like any other personality trait. Here is a recent study:https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/w53yc/ people can read and be more informed.

I really like the Arron book I read about children, I definitely think it's a thing. Don't expect people to understand though.

That’s not a peer reviewed journal. It’s self-published!

@Suse87 haha come on.

I cry a lot, nearly every day. Happy, sad, proud, scared, at Disney movies. Some things enrage me, that others might brush off. Other people just cant wait to tell me all their problems and want me to solve them for them. That drains me. I have no contact with my sister because she's so volatile, it literally makes me ill.
I class that as being highly sensitive, I don't know about all the rest.

There are some highly strung and neurotic people around I suppose.

Well I don't understand why people are so against just a trait of personality. If you come here and you say I'm very determined person, always been and I answer "oh come on that so stupid",you just want attention. It's the same thing. Being highly sensitive it's not about being emotional all the time, apparently people seem to think that. There are dozens of studies about it you can look for it if you want it. This society seem to be afraid of anything that is slightly close to emotions. However, again if you don't understand it, highly sensitive person it's not about being emotional.

No screaming allowed innit 😅

Highly sensitive people would do my bloody head in, crying and wailing all the time and having to appreciate everything in minute detail.

If someone is crying and wailing all the time MAYBE they are not highly sensitive they are depressed lol People have no idea what they are talking about.

I’m autistic and can tick off the traits on the list you gave (though I’d never describe myself as a ‘highly sensitive person’ and as for ‘deeper appreciation of art’…! Cringe, as my teenager would say). I suspect many people who describe themselves as HSPs are neurodiverse but in denial/haven’t realised.

@DIYandEatCake I understand your point of view and there is a discussion and research being made about that subject
Despite a lot of characteristics overlap they are not the same thing. https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.squarespace-cdn.com%2Fcontent%2Fv1%2F60d2550de332b22f60eec9f4%2Fd043094c-4648-42e0-bfbf-7a877120d7ae%2FHSP%2Band%2BAutistic.png&tbnid=ikwfN9YtcikwfM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fneurodivergentinsights.com%2Fblog%2Fhighly-sensitive-child-or-neurodivergent&docid=JDTqce41lS20XM&w=1080&h=1350&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F2

I'm not neurodivergent and I have done tests to confirm it.

I can believe that there are a few people truly have high emotional disregulation but it’s highly likely to either be related to autism or mental trauma (or both). In general it just sounds like Gen Z-esque label to excuse piss poor behaviour though - not that it’s specific to that generation. People have always had a label for shitty social behaviour - ‘high maintenance, ‘I say what I think’, ‘what you see is what you get’, ‘I’m a bit of a character’, ‘empath’. All code for ‘I have the personality of an utter wanker and I expect everyone around me to tolerate it’.

I’m one of these HSP. It really really pisses me off. I have to be really careful with drugs as they all give me horrendous unheard of side effects. I can only wear cotton or silk, everything else gives me eczema or makes me itch.

l hate loud noises, they make me jump. I can’t stand being too hot or cold, I honestly have a range of about 2 degrees where l can feel comfortable. I can’t relax in certain lighting or colour schemes.

I hate it! I’ve done so many ASd tests, but my communication is fine.

Sensory processing disorder is more likely. And having ok/good communication doesn’t mean that ASD isn’t a possibility, especially in women.

I know but I’ve done so many tests. And l only come up with 2 or 3 points.