10 Signs You Might Be a Highly Sensitive Person

Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) means that your nervous system processes information more deeply and intensely than other people. This could be information that your brain gets through your five senses, but it also applies to the emotional experiences you go through. There is no official medical diagnosis for being highly sensitive. However, there is a collection of traits that most HSPs have in common.

Ten Signs That You Might Be a Highly Sensitive Person

1. You might be a HSP if you often feel nervous and jumpy

You might have been called “highly strung” or tense in the past since you tend to react strongly to physical touch and loud noises. Your nervous system is more finely tuned to a wider range of stimuli. This means that you respond and react to seemingly small things with reactions that might seem disproportionate. This is normal for you, though.

2. You might be an HSP if you have a low tolerance for pain, both physical and emotional

Having a finely tuned nervous system means that you can derive both pain and pleasure from minor things. You might avoid getting your ears pierced or getting tattoos because you know that your pain tolerance is incredibly low. Similarly, medication and caffeine affect you more strongly than others.

3. You might be an HSP if you are deeply affected by visual media

If you have ever cried over a commercial or felt deeply disturbed for days after seeing a single scene in a movie, you might be highly sensitive. You might feel embarrassed or ashamed to be so affected by something that didn’t affect others similarly, but this is what your nervous system does. It absorbs information and digests it painstakingly, providing an emotional experience that affects you.

4. You might be an HSP if you are exhausted by “normal” interactions or daily events

The regular school day or work environment can be overwhelming to the HSP experiencing information overload. This is because you observe and digest so much more information than others. Your average day involves tasks, conversations, and interactions, each containing information that feels impossible to ignore.

5. You might be an HSP if you have an accurate sense of what others are feeling

As well as being introverted, most HSPs are deeply intuitive individuals. They can tell someone’s mood simply from being in proximity to them. Most HSPs tend to absorb other people’s emotions, too. This can be overwhelming in an emotionally charged environment, like a worship service in a church or when witnessing two friends arguing.

6. You might be an HSP if you are overwhelmed by a busy schedule and tight deadlines

HSPs tend to give 110% to the projects or work they are involved in, giving laser focus to the task at hand. They will often apply just as much energy to interruptions or additional tasks. Needless to say, this is draining.

7. You might be an HSP if you dwell on minor incidents

HSPs have been known to burst into tears over a text message that reads as neutral to someone else. They detect a tone and that breaks the camel’s back. The truth is that there is no small or insignificant interaction with the HSP. When they are in a robust emotional place, they may be able to move on from these incidents with relative ease. When they are stretched emotionally and mentally, the smallest thing could dysregulate them with ease.

8. You might be an HSP if you have strong reactions to certain locations

You may have once found yourself overwhelmed by being somewhere as neutral as a grocery store or gym.

Things like bright overhead lights, background music that demands your attention, too many things to focus on, and people constantly entering your physical space can make for an overstimulated experience for the HSP. This is no weakness or failing on your part, but it is simply the effect of having a system that recognizes every detail.

9. You might be an HSP if you can only recharge by being alone

Most HSPs categorize themselves as introverted because they are drained by small talk, noisy environments, and busy schedules. The fact is that HSPs are introverted by necessity; they need solitude and silence as a break from the constant onslaught of noise and information.

10. You might be an HSP if you require specific conditions in which to be productive

Whether you work in an office or at home, you have likely fine-tuned your workspace according to your preferences. Perhaps it’s the right combination of light, smell, and background noise or maybe it’s a cocoon within which your creativity can thrive. Whatever your preference, you know that you need to tweak your environment to give your best.

Christian Counseling in Carrollton, Texas

If you would like to discuss being a Highly Sensitive Person with a professional Christian counselor in Carrollton, Texas, our office can assist you. Contact us today at Texas Christian Counseling, Carrollton and we will connect you with a therapist that can help you manage your sensitive emotions for the best version of yourself.