Are you a Highly Sensitive Person?
Do loud noises bother you? Or lights seem too bright to you but not other people? Do you think and feel deeply about things? Do you pick up on other people’s feelings and then feel them too? If you answered yes to these questions then you might be a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP.
This trait was discovered in the late 1990’s by Elaine Aron who called it Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (SPS), which basically makes a person much more sensitive to environmental stimuli. This could be lights seeming brighter to you or sounds come in louder, thinking deeply about things and also emotionally reactive. This is an innate trait which means you were born with it and about 20% of all species, humans and nonhumans, have this trait and it occurs in both males and females. Having this trait does not mean there is anything wrong with you or that you need to seek counseling but it could explain why some people are more sensitive than others.
Because of their heightened sensitivity, some people who were not in a safe or nurturing environment while growing up may experience more symptoms of mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, than others. People with this trait will also need to prioritize self-care as they can get overwhelmed more easily and thus become stressed out quicker.
There is a survey that you can take to find out if you are an HSP or have the SPS trait.
You can also read more about this trait on this website and learn how you can better care for yourself or another if someone you know may be highly sensitive as well.
Lillian Kui
Mental Health Student Intern
