highly sensitive person

[GLC1968]

Other "weird" things that I think are linked to being a HSP:

I have a strong urge to touch things, especially clothes, when I'm shopping. I have a strong tactile sense.

I absolutely cannot stand listening to music with headphones. I do, however, like to listen to music somewhat loudly. Go figure.

I cannot stand wearing socks or pajama bottoms to bed. Nothing can be on my legs or feet.

I'm not a very emotional person.....except when other people around me are emotional. Then I lose it. I break down at funerals, even for people who I barely know (like my friend's parents).

My eyes water as if I'm crying when hearing or telling a scary story (like a ghost story).

Ditto to all of this for me, too!

I also cannot sleep if the hair on my legs is too long. TMI, I know...but I would bet it's related to this.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Ok, I have to say this- a lot of what is being described as 'highly sensitive' here are things that I just think of as normal.

Since when did needing to be alone sometimes, crying at sad things, an aversion to loud noises, glaring lights, relentless music, crowded situations, and strong unpleasant odors... become 'highly sensitive' traits? If you ask me (which admittedly no one has, lol) people who are not affected by such things are 'highly desensitized'!

I cry at weddings and at strangers' funerals too. I also love to laugh (but not at funerals).

[shootingstar]

Though i don't like being stuck standing in the middle of thousands of people in a crowd (I start getting abit claustrophobic), I wouldn't identify myself as HSP.

Methinks each person does have a certain phobias --small/major/debilitatiing. It's when a major phobia/anxiety/sensitivity impedes what we might want to enjoy doing or affect how we earn our living. But it's good to understand why certain things bug us and we're making an effort to cope with that anxiety.

We're human, after all.

[badger]

yeah, I scored 22, and it could have been higher if I let myself.

One thing I had to say "that's not me", was when it says HSP are highly imaginative. Then I said "unless it's me catastrophizing something". And it's true, I tend to be quite negative, so I'll think up of a worst-case scenario and I'll be running off with it into the worst possible scenarios.

It's interesting that I'm always the one turning the volume down on the car radio or the t.v. It's like I can't think if it's on too loud. But at the same time, I like to have the t.v. on, but low or on mute if I'm doing something like cooking or talking on the phone.

I'm very attuned to other people's moods, too. And I've never been good at dealing with criticism, especially if it's coming from a loved one.

[GLC1968]

Since when did needing to be alone sometimes, crying at sad things, an aversion to loud noises, glaring lights, relentless music, crowded situations, and strong unpleasant odors... become 'overly sensitive' traits? If you ask me (which admittedly no one has, lol) people who are not affected by such things are 'overly desensitized'!

I think this is partially true. According to the Wiki info - 1/5 of the population is HSP...that's a pretty major chunk!

I think the problem is that in today's society, there is a benefit to being overly desensitized and often times HSP's have a harder time than they should (or maybe than they did in the past). I would bet that it's even more difficult for children today than it was when most of us were kids what with all of the constant stimulation out there! Multi-tasking used to be a desirable trait - now it's a societal requirement. And don't even get me started on crowds...

By the way, I scored a 25 on the HSP test. I don't think I'm highly sensitive to caffeine or to pain...so those were the only two things I didn't check. Unreal. I had no idea that there was a name for this or that all of these little 'quirks' of mine could be tied together under one relationship. Interesting!

[lph]

Bleecker, the point is that it's not "overly" sensitive, implying something wrong or abnormal, it's highly sensitive, meaning the upper end of the scale but still normal. And if you register on the high end of the scale for many different sensory inputs where most other people do not, you are probably in this sub-group.

[ny biker]

Interesting - yeah, I did the test, not surprising of the outcome. Yes, I'm highly sensitive. I'm a migrainer too, thing they're related?

Don't know. I get migraines and have major problems with bright lights and noises when I have a headache. I've been known to wear sunglasses on rainy days and indoors. But I answered no to pretty much every question on that test.

But I could see how sensitivity could trigger or worsen a migraine, by increasing stress.

BTW what is a "rich, complex inner life"?

[shootingstar]

I would bet that it's even more difficult for children today than it was when most of us were kids what with all of the constant stimulation out there! Multi-tasking used to be a desirable trait - now it's a societal requirement. And don't even get me started on crowds...

Very true, GLC. Today's environment and multi-tasking expectations for kids is abit much for many. There are times I long for societal expectations for near hyper-fast response and multi-tasking, to instead, learn to focus to do a task well, instead of jumping around across 2-3 over a span of 5-10 min.

It certainly is noticeable to me when I teach adults certain things...and they have problems learning a software task..when the friggin' cell phone goes off, an email pings in on their laptop, etc.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Bleecker, the point is that it's not "overly" sensitive, implying something wrong or abnormal, it's highly sensitive, meaning the upper end of the scale but still normal. And if you register on the high end of the scale for many different sensory inputs where most other people do not, you are probably in this sub-group.

You're right, and I meant to put 'highly sensitive' rather than 'overly sensitive' in my post, as I intended it to reflect the thread's title. I've corrected my post to read 'highly sensitive' now, but I still feel the same way about it.

To me, the very word 'sensitive' in this context seems to imply 'more so than average' and as such not really normal (if normal is average)...and its common usage these days often seems to have a negative connotation.
....or am I being too sensitive? LOL!

Ah, words.

I do think phobias should be categorized or approached differently than sensitivity...though they sometimes overlap because someone can be highly sensitive in their phobias. But one does not equate with the other.

[moonfroggy]

i have taken the quiz and i score very high on it but all the stuff i score high on seems to me to be related to my ptsd.

[indysteel]

Ditto to all of this for me, too!

I also cannot sleep if the hair on my legs is too long. TMI, I know...but I would bet it's related to this.

Yep. I have to shave every day because I can barely stand the thought of putting lotion on stubbly legs. Given that I get stubble within 12 hours of shaving, I can't win. Oddly though, I'm not all that ticklish.

I'll add another annoyance. I can't stand the sound of someone chewing. As long as I'm also eating, I'm relatively okay. Otherwise I want to crawl out of my skin.

[indysteel]

Sorry to hog this thread, I'd add that for me, being a HSP does not translate to being "sensitive" in the way that we often use the word in an emotional sense. I don't get my feelings hurt more easily than others. It's more about feeling anxious or overloaded by certain stimuli. In layman terms, I feel kind of "high strung." Most of the time, you likely wouldn't even pick on it as abnormal. If I were to discuss the condition, however, with those who know me best, it would probably go a long way toward explaining some of my quirks. Thankfully, I've never seen any of this as a weakness or fault. It's just who I am. Almost all of it is manageable if I'm aware of my triggers.

[Aggie_Ama]

I got a 21, no shock I have known for years I was sensitive in the way Indy describes.

[GLC1968]

Sorry to hog this thread, I'd add that for me, being a HSP does not translate to being "sensitive" in the way that we often use the word in an emotional sense. I don't get my feelings hurt more easily than others. It's more about feeling anxious or overloaded by certain stimuli. In layman terms, I feel kind of "high strung." Most of the time, you likely wouldn't even pick on it as abnormal. If I were to discuss the condition, however, with those who know me best, it would probably go a long way toward explaining some of my quirks. Thankfully, I've never seen any of this as a weakness or fault. It's just who I am. Almost all of it is manageable if I'm aware of my triggers.

Again, ditto.

In fact, most people I know write off my little quirks as part of my 'type A' personality. Funny thing is, I have never really thought of myself as a true type A at all.

[OakLeaf]

Not even going to look at it. I suppose there's a medication they're trying to sell us, which is where most of these marginal "diagnoses" come from nowadays. Sorry, IMO every personality trait is not a diagnosis.