Things Only Highly Sensitive People Understand

Highly Sensitive People
(Last Updated On: July 16, 2022)

Are you a highly sensitive person? Do you know who is an HSP? Do you consider yourself a deep thinker and feel things much more intensely than others? If yes, then you may be one of the highly sensitive people. Being a highly sensitive person you may be more naturally inclined than other people to process information on a deep level. Do you know there are certain problems only highly sensitive people will understand? To know more, continue reading and watch the video at the bottom.

What does it mean by highly sensitive people?

A human with a particularly high measure of SPS is considered to be a highly sensitive person (HSP). The terms SPS and HSP were coined in the mid-1990s by psychologists Elaine Aron and her husband Arthur Aron, who developed the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) questionnaire by which SPS is measured. Other researchers have applied various other terms to denote this responsiveness to stimuli that is seen in humans and other species.

According to Arons and colleagues, people with high SPS make up about 15–20% of the population. Although some researchers consistently related high SPS to negative outcomes, other researchers have associated it with increased responsiveness to both positive and negative influences. Aron and colleagues state that the high-SPS personality trait is not a disorder. Source: Wikipedia Sensory processing sensitivity

What is special in highly sensitive people?

A highly sensitive person is naturally predisposed to process and perceive information on a much deeper level than most others. Highly sensitive people are usually more perceptive, empathetic and very self-aware than others. They often suffer from the problem of frequent emotional exhaustion. Sometimes, being emotionally sensitive help them to get advantages that may not get in a normal stage. Highly sensitive people are very passionate and creative. Here is a list of 13 things only highly sensitive people will understand.

How do you know if you are a highly sensitive person?

As mentioned above, there are certain things that only highly sensitive people understand. You can check the below list of 13 things to understand whether you are a highly sensitive person or not.

13 Things Only Highly Sensitive People Understand

Things Only Highly Sensitive People Understand
13 Things Only Highly Sensitive People Understand

1. Loud noises can be overwhelming

Does the thought of a function, party or going to a movie sound kind of terrible to you? Do you get easily overwhelmed when there are large crowds or lots of commotion? If you are a highly sensitive person, you might find loud sounds like a direct path to a personal shutdown.

Loud noises can be overwhelming for highly sensitive people
Overwhelmed man
Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay

When you attend Concerts, or watch a movie in theatres, even the music in your own headphones can be very loud. Some people like this heavy vibrating sound, but most people do not like having their eardrums blasted. For a highly sensitive person, loud noises can feel like a full-on assault on his senses. When you have no way to control the volume and also when other people don’t seem bothered by the loud noise at all, you end up feeling like the weird or difficult one.

2. Inadequate sleep equals hell

When you wake up in the morning after a good night of sleep do you feel great and energetic?
Isn’t it exactly the opposite when you don’t sleep well at night?

Inadequate sleep woman HSP
Inadequate sleep woman on the bed pressing neck with hands
Image by 영훈 박 from Pixabay

After a busy day, we all wish to have a sound sleep and rest. When sleep-deprived, most people don’t do well and feel tired because the body and mind don’t get the energy without refreshing properly. Studies have shown that HSPs need more sleep than most to function. When they don’t get adequate sleep, they might feel the effects of being cranky, groggy and on edge more than others. For a highly sensitive person, inadequate sleep equals hell because a minor irritation will feel much worse than they are. You can learn easy ways to get better sleep at night. One of the main reasons for not getting good sleep at night is recalling the incidents of the day. You can reprogram your subconscious mind before you sleep every night.

3. Frequent emotional exhaustion

Has anyone ever told you that they appreciate your empathy? Do you feel mixed emotions about it, because it also exhausts you?

Frequent emotional exhaustion Crying women
Women crying sitting on the sofa. Frequent emotional exhaustion
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

You might have experienced that even though you are in a pleasant mood, seeing your family members or friends in a sad mood make you feel sad. If they are stressed with their own problems, you may feel it as your problem and change your mood and emotions matching to them. Rather than just sensing what someone is feeling, highly sensitive people actually feel it themselves. If you are an HSP, you actually absorb and feel the emotions of others and carry the weight of their emotions in addition to your own and that often leads to emotional exhaustion.

4. Unexplainable reactions to violence and beauty

How do you feel when watching movies with gore or listening about violence or accident? When watching mind-disturbing scenes in the movie, you know it is fake and not real. Still, do you find it difficult to watch or hear about anything too graphic?

Highly sensitive people Unexplainable reactions to violence and beauty
Man feels scared while watching TV holding remote in hand
Image by SamWilliamsPhoto from Pixabay

When seeing violence or cruelty most people turn away from the place because they don’t want to get into trouble. Today most people will not run away but will start capturing the incident on their smartphone. But, they may not interfere and try to control the situation. But highly sensitive people absolutely hate it and it can affect them. Reading about violence or watching violence in movies or news can make them feel sick and will disturb their mind for a long. Sometimes looking at an art or listening to a piece of music can bring tears in your eyes. Seeing the emotion and tears people may ask the reason, but they may often choose not to discuss their feelings.

5. Over analyzing every little word and gesture

Do you have the tendency to over-analyse small things, which can lead you to make a mountain out of a molehill?

HSP Over analyzing every little word and gesture
Expression of a confused woman
Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay

While talking with others many people ignore small things, little words and gestures. Ignoring baseless comments and fake news is the best way to avoid unnecessary problems. If we start analysing each and every little thing we may get unexpected meanings and those results may lead to unexpected problems. Highly sensitive persons are different and usually, they notice and pick up very small matters, simple jokes and facial expressions. Their mind starts analysing and that give mental stress and also may lead to unnecessary problems and fight.

6. Not socialising the way most people do

Group of people enjoying picnic
Group of people enjoying a picnic
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Social networking with friends and groups is good for sharing problems and learning new things. Sharing problems with others helps to free up your mind. Most people like going to a party or hanging out with a group of good people. But highly sensitive people are not much interested in socialising the way most people do. They don’t like to sit in groups and share jokes. This habit limits their options for socialising with good people and makes them incredibly isolating. Never keep bad friends. Understand the difference between friends and frenemies. Learn to make good friends.

7. Even a little pain is too much pain

Man abdominal pain
A man pressing his abdomen with both hands due to pain
Image by Darko Djurin from Pixabay

Some people are mentally strong and they can handle the pain of a severe wound in the body or mind. But highly sensitive persons can not tolerate a little pain. For highly sensitive people even a little pain is too much pain, a small wound or sickness is a major problem and intolerable pain. This emotionally hurt their mind. Learn to make your mind calm and peaceful.

8. Vacations can be anything but relaxing

woman enjoying vacation
Woman Enjoying Vacation sitting on the bench
Image by Neri Vill from Pixabay

Do you like travelling, enjoying sightseeing and exploring new destinations? Most working people and even retired persons enjoy the tour at least once in a year. On every trip, they enjoy the maximum time. But if you are a highly sensitive person your experiences with vacations will be different. You may not move around and enjoy the place and situation, but may prefer to sleep in the room when others are enjoying themselves outside. For highly sensitive people, vacations can be anywhere but should be relaxing.

9. Getting really hangry

Hangry man HSP
A hungry man eating biscuit showing anger on his face
Image by Ryan McGuire from Pixabay

Most people get angry due to hunger when they don’t get food to fulfil the desire of the stomach. It happens because of uneasiness in the body. Highly sensitive persons are more sensitive to dips, spikes and blood sugar levels than other people and hence they feel irritation and negative feelings much more intensely than others.

10. When someone raises their voice at you

How do you respond when someone raises their voice at you, especially someone you care about? How do you feel when you see someone get into trouble? If you are a highly sensitive person, this will have a strong impact on you emotionally and physically. Even though the matter or person is not connected or known to you, that may touch your heart and make you cry.

11. Time pressure causes serious distress

Small matters like being a little late to reach a function or an appointment with your doctor may leave you feeling flustered and more stressed. You will rush and give unnecessary pressure to hurry which can cause a lot of anxiety and tension.

12. Saying ‘YES’ when you want to say ‘NO’

Sometimes you know the answer is NO, but to make the other person happy, you will say ‘YES’ instead of ‘NO’. You are saying ‘YES’ because you are aware of other people’s feelings being reliable is a good trait. But do you know not being able ever to say ‘NO’ will lead you to become a people pleaser and how it might affect your life?

13. Even positive changes have their downside

A sudden change in the routine will be challenging for everyone. If you are a highly sensitive person, you will find it very difficult to make positive changes and can be overwhelming. Many times, people closest to you may confuse about why you are so stressed out even on the time to enjoy a promotion or new success. As a highly sensitive person, you simply need more time than other people to adjust to the positive or negative things because experiencing excitement and happiness at a high level can be overstimulating you.

How to thrive in this world as a highly sensitive person?

Final Thoughts

It is a fact that being a highly sensitive person comes with its challenges. Remember, HSP is not a disease or a disorder, but it’s a normal thing that can even be an advantage. Even if it has the occasional downside of having more intense feelings, the package of emotional intelligence, extreme passion and creativity comes with highly sensitive people.

After watching the video, I found myself as an HSP. Despite the issues mentioned above, being a highly sensitive person is a wonderful trait to have. Let’s consider these issues are simply the darkness to the light, with the light being your insightfulness and open-minded nature. If you look into the above-mentioned deep emotions you will find that being a highly sensitive person, you have a huge capacity for understanding, kindness and compassion. Let’s try to make this world a better place.

  • Are you a highly sensitive person?
  • Do you agree with the above-mentioned habits of an HSP?
  • What other challenges do you have as a highly sensitive person?

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Rererences: YouTube Video

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