The Challenges of Being a Highly Sensitive Person

In recent years there has been much new information gleaned regarding personality and innate temperament. One such fascinating trait which has garnered much attention of late, is that of the highly sensitive personality, or HSP. In the groundbreaking book by Dr. Elaine Aron, aptly titled, 'The Highly Sensitive Person: How To Survive When The World Overwhelms You,' we can discover the intricities of this rather unusual trait. In essence, the highly sensitive person has a nervous system that has a much lower threshold to stimulation than most people. In fact, Dr. Aron affirms that only 15-20% of the population has this trait. Some people are born with a neurological system that is pre-wired as highly sensitive. Others may be traumatized early in development and become hypersensitive as a result of abuse or extreme childhood stress. What are some of the signs of being a highly sensitive person? According to Dr. Aron there are several characteristics related to being an HSP:

Being an HSP means your nervous system is more sensitive to subtleties. Your sight, hearing, and sense of smell are not necessarily keener (although they may be). But your brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply.