What is a Highly Sensitive Person?
Have you heard the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? Today, we are breaking down this trait, how to support yourself or loved ones who might identify as an HSP, and its close correlation to individuals with eating disorders. Let’s dive in!
Shortly after I started working with my therapist, I shared an experience with her that impacted me for days, leaving me with A LOT of feelings. Now, to anyone else, this experience could be seen as somewhat distressing, and they might have responded with something like ‘Shoot, that sucks.’ But I felt it, deeply. And it frustrated me because I couldn’t shake the feelings. I couldn’t let go of how much this conversation impacted me and it felt like I should have been able to do so.
After I shared (read: dumped it on her for a good 15 minutes without stopping…), she asked me if I had ever heard of the term, Highly Sensitive Person. She explained the trait to me, shared the DOES acronym below, and suggested I do a little research to see if the trait resonated with my experience.
So I googled and came across two different quizzes (this one and this one). As she suspected, I identified with nearly every question. Even though I knew in my bones that I had this trait, it took a few weeks for me to finally embrace it. I didn’t know this at the time, but I’d basically masked my sensitivity my entire life and shoved those icky, gross feelings down deep for a long time.
Now, nearly 5 years later, even though there are times when this trait is inconvenient and incredibly annoying, I love being highly sensitive. I really feel like it’s my superpower. And because of that initial, literally life-changing, conversation with my therapist, I can identify high sensitivity in my clients (yes, there is a strong correlation between high sensitivity and eating disorders), helping to break the stigma and empowering them to embrace this cool gift.
What is a Highly Sensitive Person?
The term Highly Sensitive Person was first used by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron in 1996. A highly sensitive person (HSP) has what’s known as a sensory processing sensitivity (SPS). Simply put, HSPs have finely tuned nervous systems that are more responsive and emotionally attuned to internal and external stimuli. I once heard it described using bugs and their antenna. Non-HSPs typically have 2 antennae to take in information. HSPs can have 6-10+ antennae.
If you are a Parks and Rec fan, I like to think of Chris Traeger’s quote about flu prevention: “My body is finely tuned like a microchip, and the flu is like a grain of sand. It could literally shut down the entire system.”
Now, being an HSP is not a DSM diagnosis or psychological disorder. It’s a genetic trait and form of neurodivergence, linked to a person’s temperament. However, folks with other forms of neurodivergence like Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and more (more soon on how stigmatizing the word disorder can be!) can also have the trait of high sensitivity. Initially, it was thought that about 15-20% of the population had this trait, but as research continues, the percentage has increased to at least 30%.
So, what are the characteristics of an HSP?
Characteristics of a Highly Sensitive Person
There are quite a few characteristics of a highly sensitive person and they are typically grouped by using the acronym DOES.
Depth of Processing: HSPs process information more deeply and thoroughly
This might look like:
Need for quiet time and solitude to process
Strong attention to subtle details and nuances
Difficulty with making quick decisions due to deep processing
A natural inclination toward mindfulness and self-reflection
Overstimulation: HSPs can get easily overwhelmed or anxious due to deeper processing of stimuli
This might look like:
Easily overwhelmed by busy environments
Tendency to notice minor changes in their environment
Tendency to avoid overly stimulating environments
Emotional Reactivity: HSPs tend to have strong emotional responses, feel emotions deeply, and have a deep capacity for empathy
This might look like:
Strong reactions to violent or disturbing media content
Deep appreciation for beauty in art and nature
Heightened response to criticism or negative feedback
Strong need for meaningful relationships and connections
Strong physical reactions to emotional experiences
Sensory Sensitivity: HSPs have heightened awareness of sensory input, even subtle sensory input
This might look like:
Heightened sensitivity to sensory input (light, sound, touch)
Ability to pick up on subtle changes in others' moods and body language
Heightened awareness of physical sensations and bodily needs
Greater sensitivity to medications and caffeine
Is the Highly Sensitive Person’s Brain Different?
Neurodiversity is a term that describes individuals whose brains work differently than what is typically considered ‘the norm’. (I have a lot of thoughts on ableism, who gets to decide what ‘normal’ actually is, and how the world has been set up to work with only a select type of brain in mind, but I’ll save it for another post!). HSPs fall under the neurodivergent umbrella because our brains work differently in a variety of different ways. Let’s talk about three!
More active mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are used to help us determine what another person is experiencing based on their facial expressions and actions. When we can recognize what a person is experiencing, it helps us know how to respond and understand their experience. HSPs have more active mirror neurons, leading to increased empathy and an increased ability to absorb other people’s emotions.
Dopamine differences. Dopamine is the reward neurotransmitter and one I talk a lot about with my ADHD clients. HSPs typically aren’t as excited by external stimuli and don’t necessarily need the same amount of ‘reward’ as others. This leads to HSPs finding more highly stimulating experiences challenging and being more thoughtful and observant.
Big, vivid emotions. HSPs tend to experience emotions in a bigger, more vivid way than others. This is thanks to the part of the brain linked to systems involving sensory processing and emotions, the vmPFC (ventromedial prefrontal cortex). Studies show that high sensitivity is linked to a gene that increases this vividness, essentially turning up the dial [1]. Many HSPs and neurodivergent clients have been told they are ‘too sensitive’ or ‘too dramatic’. It’s because our brains are more finely tuned to experience emotions in a bigger and more vivid way.
Benefits and Challenges of Being an HSP
I certainly focused more on the challenges of being an HSP when I first learned about this trait. My emotions are big, my sensory sensitivity can impact the type of clothes I wear, how loud I watch a TV show, and how quickly I get overstimulated, and it can be challenging to go into public spaces with a lot of people without headphones. However, as I continued to learn about myself, I began to see the many benefits of being an HSP.
Benefits
Enhanced creativity and imagination
Strong intuition and emotional intelligence
Ability to process information deeply
Natural empathy and understanding of others
A deep connection to animals and other living things
Attention to detail and conscientiousness
Strong and finely tuned Spidey senses
A strong sense of justice and desire for fairness
A deep connection to nature
Challenges
Difficulty managing overwhelming emotions and sensory input
Increased need for recovery time after social interactions
Susceptibility to anxiety and stress in overstimulating environments
Tendency to absorb others' emotions and energy
Feeling othered or like you don’t belong
Challenges with setting boundaries and saying no
Health struggles
Feeling shame about our sensitivity or the way we respond to certain things
Being fearful or nervous about how big and overwhelming our emotions can be
Communicating our needs, feelings, and experiences to others, especially if they haven’t been treated with compassion and empathy in the past
Taking Care of on an HSP
It can be easy to look at the challenges for an HSP and see them as fragile people. HSPs are strong, resilient people who just need to be cared for in different ways. The first step in taking care of yourself as an HSP is to accept the trait as a part of who you are. Acceptance, like awareness, goes a long way in helping you learn how to care for yourself. Here are a few of my top tips for taking care of yourself. I also highly recommend checking out some of the articles on Highly Sensitive Refuge to hear from other HSPs!
Creating quiet spaces to decompress, relax, and recharge (your HSP sanctuary)
Setting healthy boundaries in relationships
Practicing saying NO when you mean No
Maintaining regular self-care routines that work for you
Planning for adequate rest and downtime
Avoiding overstimulating environments OR planning for overstimulating environments before you enter them
Take time to learn what your body needs and what helps it thrive (this will take time, trial, and error! Don’t give up!)
High sensitivity and eating disorders
High sensitivity can be closely intertwined with eating disorders. Remember, eating disorders are emotional management systems. Given the characteristics and challenges of an HSP listed above, it makes sense that an eating disorder could provide comfort, control, regulation, and support for an individual. Stay tuned for another post breaking down the connection between HSPs and eating disorders, how the HSP trait can be a superpower in recovery, and how to find support.
Resources
Here are some of my favorite resources for learning more about what it means to be a highly sensitive person and how to navigate this really cool but sometimes challenging trait.
The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron
Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World by Andre Solo and Jenn Granneman
The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron
The Orchid and the Dandelion by W. Thomas Boyce
Resources Used:
[1] https://highlysensitiverefuge.com/highly-sensitive-person-brain/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4086365/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3135587/
[4] https://www.jneurosci.org/content/jneuro/35/16/6506.full.pdf
[5] https://highlysensitiverefuge.com/heres-everything-researchers-know-about-high-sensitivity-as-of-2021/
