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?

I don't think you need to tone down parts of you. People often procrastinate, it's very common - just set yourself targets and deadlines. It gets easier as it becomes habitual.
Good habits can override all sorts of problems. Try a self reward system as well.

Completely agree and I guess the same would apply in reverse that the people who cannot relate to this or do not believe it is a thing perhaps could not understand as they don't feel that way.

That was actually one I didn't tick.

Seems fair enough. Being comfortable with yourself, understanding how to behave better in certain situations, and when you'll be triggered to certain behaviour. All useful things.

I was in a meeting yesterday and really struggling with the background noise of a machine. I don't know if I was the only one but I knew it was probably annoying me more than some of the others!

Even loud gunshots in scenes are too much for me. Maybe I am just on my own in this.

Other people won't know this about me though as I hide it.

Except for when I am startled.

I'd strongly suggest looking more deeply into both autism and ADHD then - they can both cause executive function and sensory issues (which you've just described), and they're frequently missed in females because we internalise more.

It may be that you find the answers you need there.

Using an acronym as a label for what are fairly mainstream personality traits is a little bit ridiculous.

Everyone is desperate to be special in some way I guess?

FWIW, I tick a lot of your boxes and I have adhd.

ooh. Another label, yes please.

Stop trying to make normal life experiences of many many people a specialised thing. It's bollocks.

Here you go. My feral insensitive arse is at least good for something

theprivatetherapyclinic.co.uk/blog/what-is-a-highly-sensitive-person/

“I have a propensity to procrastinate, can't start tasks and think this could be a possibility autism / ADHD related.”

Is that like being Aries but declaring that it’s with Virgo rising?
You’re taking the HSP label but want Autism too?

Whilst autism is real, your article

But surely a truly empathetic person would understand some is going through a tough time and would be there for them, not a someone saying 'I can't cope with your emotional state'...that's not empathy in fact I'd argue it's the complete opposite.

Posted to soon - autism is real, but your article is just trying to make a thing over what is just normal personality variation. With a big dollop of added self importance on the art profound appreciation.

Lol. How exactly do you measure the degree to which people appreciate a work of art? Would be interested to know. Is beating your chest and wailing in front of the Mona Lisa indicative of a deeper appreciation than, say, quiet contemplation? The whole article reads a bit like someone trying to dress up a dramatic personality disorder (I’m SPECIAL on account of my NORMAL HUMAN EMOTIONS).

As far as empathy goes, are we talking emotional or cognitive? Because being able to read a person, cognitive empathy, is something psychopaths are adept at. That’s partly why they’re so effective, and indeed dangerous.

Luckily I don’t not consider myself a ‘HSP’. It sounds fucking exhausting.

I scored 18 in that test, but I don't consider myself particularly sensitive (really not at all!). I do have ADHD and ASD though.

I scored 22 on that quiz! — but seriously op, the idea that HSP is a useful label for any emotionally mature adult is a load of old nonsense. Sorry. As for “empath”, god no, it’s like something from Star Trek ffs.

I reckon people who are drawn to concepts like that are often seeking justification for behaviour that most of us recognise as self-absorbed, needy or dramatic.

I would 100% prefer not to be defined by my noise sensitivity, hair-trigger startle reflex, easily triggered tears of sentiment etc. I’m not ashamed of these traits but they’re just random bits of my personality, which millions of other people also have. And we all have plenty of other, hopefully more interesting, qualities too.

Personally I wouldn't be moved by art or music. I can have a deep sense of appreciation for a pretty sunset or coastal /
Country scenery. That is likely to be very coming amongst us all though regardless of how sensitive we are.

I am prettyoved by art's price tags. What am I😱

@ZeroFuchsGiven are you saying there's no such thing as introverts?

Not sure if you've provided further examples but the ones in your OP sounds like a lot more than 20% of people. It's just normal feelings. It's not what I would call highly sensitive.

Absolutely everything and everyone has to have a blooming label these days.

I’m a SOAR person … Skin Of A Rhino.

I could probably be improved by being a bit more sensitive but that’s how I am. I’m not unsympathetic to others and will go out of my way to help someone who needs it. I have a friend who could be described as ‘highly sensitive’ and she can be a bit much really.

Conversely, autistic people often have great emotional empathy but terrible cognitive empathy, which is how you end up in the situation where you know how someone is feeling, but do all the wrong things to deal with it.

HSP is not rubbish but it is interesting how amusing the uneducated posters find the concept. It is a personality trait and can be quite difficult to manage, especially for children. I do not think the OP necessarily gave the best examples but I do recognise the traits in my son. Learning about it has enabled us to help him manage in over stimulating situations such as school, soft play, shopping centres, parties etc .

Just what I was going to say