High Sensitivity

Many years ago, I first learned about the trait of high sensitivity, and it changed my life. Dr. Elaine Aron has been conducting empirical research on high sensitivity since 1991 and has published several books on the topic, which you can find here. Aron’s work has clarified that:

• High sensitivity is normal and occurs in 15–20% of the population.
• High sensitivity is innate; people with this trait have brains that work a little differently from other people’s.
• Highly sensitive people (HSPs) are more aware than others of subtleties because our brains process information and reflect on it more deeply.
• HSPs are more easily overwhelmed and overstimulated than other people.
• The trait of high sensitivity isn’t new, but it’s often been misunderstood and mistaken as shyness, inhibitedness, fearfulness, or neuroticism. None of those qualities is innate to being an HSP.
• Sensitivity is valued differently in different cultures. In cultures that don’t value high sensitivity, the trait is pathologized, and many HSPs have low self-esteem from always hearing “You’re too sensitive” and being treated as though their sensitivity is a problem.

If you don’t know you’re an HSP, learning about it can help to explain a lot and can help you honor your nature and take good care of yourself. To learn more about high sensitivity, check out Elaine Aron’s website. Here’s a link to a self-test to see if you’re an HSP. The site also has a wealth of other information about resources and HSP gatherings. 

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