What Does it Mean to be a Highly Sensitive Person?

by AnnaMariah | Jan 31, 2024 | 0 comments

What Does it Mean to be a Highly Sensitive Person?

Being a Highly Sensitive Person can sometimes feel like this photo of the Aurora Borealis: Your moods, emotions, and colors vary wildly. You may feel delicate and too changeable, yet at times, you feel expansive, like you’re connected to everything and everyone. That can be both the blessing and the curse of being an HSP..

According to Elaine Aron, Ph.D., a pioneer in the field who has researched this subject extensively since 1991, High Sensitivity or Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (the scientific term) is inborn due to an intricately sensitive central nervous system and is found in 15-20% of the population, too many to be a disorder. Although more information is being shared all the time, what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP is still not understood by most other non-HSPs.

This leads to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and a lack of self-worth for HSPs. Too often, you may have been wrongly accused of being “too sensitive” and shamed into withdrawing or berating yourself in ways that hamper your creativity, joy, or even your very existence. You’ve often been made to feel like you are neurotic, crazy, flaky, or just a little too weird.

Most people who aren’t HSPs will probably never understand, but don’t let that stop you from learning to balance and even use your sensitivity in positive ways. Once you embrace the things that make you different, you can begin to open and blossom into the wholeness of who you are. You may even turn your perceived shortcomings into your Superpowers.

HSP/Empath Quiz results

If you took our HSP/Empath Quiz and received HSP – Highly Sensitive Person as your highest trait, you should find many answers and tips that empower you to learn to moderate the impact of your sensitivity and find ways these traits are part of your Superpower.

You are a Rarity

You didn’t choose these traits. You were born with sensitivity as a survival strategy to be observant before acting. Your brain is wired a little differently than others.

Sensitivity is frequently misunderstood and undervalued or even demeaned. Too often, you may have been called shy or introverted because you prefer to assess the situation before jumping in and need more alone time. 30% of HSPs are extroverts.

Your sensitivity may feel like a curse that has singled you out, leaving you feeling agonizingly misunderstood. With a little awareness and some coping tools, you can turn your sensitivity into a gift that will serve you well throughout your life.

Not all Highly Sensitive Persons, HSPs, are the Same

The one thing HSPs all have in common is that they react more deeply and intensely than 80% – 85% of people on the planet.

Understanding what impacts you can help you learn coping skills for your needs.

Our team of Energy Experts and Social Scientists developed the HSP and Energy Sensitivity Quiz to allow you to assess your overall sensitivity and understand more about your own particular style of HSP sensitivity. The subcategories of HSP sensitivity address that high sensitivity can show different manifestations and effects.

We’ve broken results into categories because high sensitivity can show up in different ways and be handled differently in your system. For example, although most Highly Sensitive Persons are indeed “introverted,” with an estimated 70% being reported in studies, the remaining third of HSPs are extroverts. These HSPs may experience similar situations in very different ways.

Within the HSP group are empaths – Empaths make up approximately 5% of the overall population. In other words, only one-quarter of HSPs are empaths. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but that is misleading. All Empaths are HSPs, but not all HSPs are Empaths. Click to read more about Empaths.

Challenging Situations for HSPs – and Suggestions for How to handle them

Malls, crowded stores, events and gatherings

These are some of the most difficult places for HSPs and Empaths. The noise, lights, electronics, energy, and emotions from everyone can completely overwhelm your nervous system and senses. You may have difficulty thinking or making decisions in those circumstances, leaving you feeling zapped. Crowded shopping areas have high levels of:

• Electromagnetic Energy (fluorescent lights, electronics);
• Other people’s emotions: You may become sad, depressed, emotional, angry, or even joyful around someone experiencing those emotions. That’s one of the reasons crowds can be so devastatingly exhausting; you don’t even have to be in close proximity to be affected.
• Noise, smells, and sometimes even touch.

You may even find thinking or feeling your emotions difficult in crowded situations.

Tip: Avoid crowds – This probably doesn’t need to be said, but be honest about what you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy a packed stadium with screaming fans, find another way to cheer for your team or spend time with friends. Shop during less crowded times, go to matinees, and find those unique out-of-the-way coffee shops and restaurants, and you’ll enjoy yourself much more than in a loud, crowded place.

Tips for enjoying parties, gatherings, networking, etc. – Whether for work or pleasure, you may find the impact of everyone else’s moods, anxiety, and stress to be overwhelming if you don’t have coping techniques to lessen the impact

Finding one or two people you can talk to and have quiet conversations with may be helpful rather than trying to “work the room.”
Another coping technique is to stay outside the room rather than in the middle of the crowd, where the energy surrounds you.
If possible, go outside for a break from time to time. If there’s no way to go out, go in – bathrooms are great retreats.

After-Event Care is Important – Time to Recover Can be Turned Into a Plus

Find a quiet retreat to spend some quality alone time to calm your nerves and refresh your energy.
Allow adequate rest time to avoid feeling exhausted or ill after being around even small groups of people for extended lengths of time.
It’s often wise to schedule events so that you don’t have to attend them back-to-back but have some time in between to recharge.
Note: I’m not talking about taking time only on the event day. Pay attention to how you feel in the days following. Depending on your system and ability to deal with excess energies and stimulation, you may need a day or more afterward to rest and regroup.
I fought against this need for more downtime for years, thinking my need to retreat was a failure on my part. I only embraced this truth after health issues brought on by stress forced me to acknowledge my need for more rest and a change of pace. I now embrace rest time and activities that release the tension and reinforce my energy and joy.

Other Skills or “Super Powers” You May Have as an HSP can Help you Professionally and Personally.

Built-in lie detector – You may easily know when others are lying or dishonest.
Awareness – You notice things others don’t and are often aware of fine nuances.
Empathic Leaders – You may make a great leader. Empaths are often less attached to their own achievements and can see what is good for the group.
Healers, Teachers, Change Agents – Because of your sensitivities and idealism, you may be working as a healer, counselor, therapist, teacher, volunteer, or someone somehow working to make positive changes in the world.
Creative, Artistic, Problem-Solver – HSPs are often extremely expressive musically, artistically, or verbally. It’s sometimes as if you download the inspiration out of nowhere. This also makes you a great problem-solver, seeing solutions that others overlook.
Strong Sixth Sense – You may have a strong sense of intuition. You may be able to sense places where bad things have occurred. This sense may also easily alert you to danger and help keep you safe. After being in a place like this, it’s often helpful to do some clearing to release the energies you picked up on. Click to read more about Intuitive Sensitivity.
Emotional Availability – You can discuss emotional issues without much difficulty. However, this is another area where your gifts can cause problems. You may feel shut out if you are involved with or in a relationship with someone who is much more emotionally closed. Your desire to connect deeply may feel invasive or too much for them.
Seeing Both Sides of Every Argument is a double-edged sword – You may feel wishy-washy because it’s difficult to pick a side when you see the validity of both perspectives. Don’t beat yourself up for this; often, simply understanding it helps you find coping techniques to hone in on your own conclusions or choices. On the plus side, you are able to be less judgmental because you can see from the other person’s point of view.

Emotional Strengths and Challenges as Double-edged Sword

Understanding Suffering – You may struggle to understand the causes of suffering worldwide. This can harm you if you take in the suffering as your own and feel responsible in some ways. The upside is that since you find suffering and injustice to be untenable, you may work to find ways to help.

Idealism – You may be an idealist, dreaming of improving the world. This goes right along with struggling to understand the causes of suffering. Your idealism keeps alive your innate belief that most people have a deep desire for peace and a good life.

Self-Defense – You may have difficulty justifying defending yourself even if attacked. It is almost impossible to cause harm to another even if they mean you harm. You can defend yourself without causing harm to another.
Click to read Stand Your Ground, Stay in Your Center, or Stop Energy Vampires.

News and Scary Movies – Watching the news or a scary movie can be extremely difficult because you feel what it’s like to be that victimized person, often internalizing it deeply. If you have a background of being abused, this tends to trigger strongly your own issues and leave you dealing with your own stuff And theirs as well.

Emotional Mood Swings – You may become sad, depressed, emotional, angry, or even joyful around someone experiencing those emotions. That’s one of the reasons crowds can be so devastatingly exhausting; you don’t even have to be in close proximity to be affected.

Decisions and Difficulty Knowing Your Own Mind – You may absorb so much of other people’s thoughts, feelings, and needs that you have difficulty with what’s yours and theirs, especially when they are strongly held. This is not the same as seeing both sides because you see two sides. Instead, the inability to distinguish your own thoughts and reactions can allow those of others to over-write your own, leaving you open to being manipulated, overly impressionable, or constantly second-guessing yourself. Learning some techniques for protecting your energy can help, and, of course, a BioElectric Shield can be the best ally, as it clears and strengthens your energy field, giving you more clarity.

Tip Read: Why Do You Struggle So to Make a Decision? Maybe it’s Them, not You. This may also leave you open to being manipulated, overly impressionable, or constantly questioning what to choose or believe.

Anxiety and Concern with Others’ Opinions – Your sensitivity can mean that you feel others’ judgments and opinions almost as an attack. The better you filter out much of this, the more you’ll realize that what they think says much more about them than it does you.

Thoughts can get out of control, imagining worst-case scenarios. If you do this or focus on the negatives, you may be picking up on the thoughts and opinions of others, not just those around you but those around the planet. All the fear, anxiety, and hype have created an actual blanket of fear and negativity that surrounds us all. The more open your energy is, the more likely you may feel this and have difficulty knowing if it’s yours or not. (See Knowing Your Own Mind above) Read Fear and Anxiety are Bombarding You – How is it Affecting Your Life

Self-Care is Critical

Highly Sensitive Persons are often so busy caring for everyone else that they neglect their needs and burn out. This makes taking care of yourself an urgent need, not just a good idea.

Alone Time – One of the most helpful things you can do is have some alone time to recharge and regroup. This time also allows you to remember your thoughts and needs. They count and are important. You may even want to learn some decision-making techniques. Read more about Self-care.

Many empaths and HSPs find themselves exhausted or even ill after being around groups of people for extended periods. You may even find thinking or feeling your emotions difficult in crowded situations. Find time afterward to regroup, rest, and find your own center again. If you’re in a situation like this for extended periods, find a way to take quiet breaks, preferably in nature.

I’m saying this more than once, hoping you’ll give it more attention than many of us and bypass some hard lessons.

A Personal Note to you from an HSP

I’m AnnaMariah Nau. I have been part of BioElectric Shield since it changed my life in 1994, but even more importantly, I’m a Highly Sensitive Person with strong empath scores in almost all the categories listed on the empath portion of the quiz. I’ve studied healing, energy work, gemstones, and various modalities since 1988. The BioElectric Shield has been the most helpful tool in everything I’ve learned. Prior to getting a Shield, I called myself the” poster child for sponge people.” I picked up everybody’s emotional and physical pain and had a hard time knowing what I felt or thought at times.

When I found the BioShield, my life changed dramatically. I could shift my attitude and feel like I’d been given a gift instead of a curse. I want you to know that I understand your struggle; I’ve been there. When I found the Shield in 1994, I was in my 40s; it made such a difference for me that I went to work for the company in order to have the opportunity to help other highly sensitive persons and Empaths in the way I’d been helped. Since then, I’ve talked to thousands of men and women in person at trade shows and on the phone and listened to your challenges and triumphs. Many have benefited from the Shield’s balance and protection.

We developed the quiz as a tool to improve your life. My personal mission is to help you become your most empowered self even if you never order anything, and the quiz and following info are the best ways I’ve found to reach as many people as possible. Since we launched the first quiz in 2016, over 20k have taken it. The current quiz (2024) is new, improved, and builds on the research and data collected over the years. Read more of my story.

Your New Best Friend – Your BioElectric Shield

I hope you will consider getting a BioElectric Shield. The Shield balances and strengthens your energy field deflects much of the energy coming from other people and technology and can be an HSP’s best friend.

Most HSPs find the Level 3 BioElectric Shield excellent for providing them with the strength and relief they never imagined possible. Read more about the Levels of Protection.

Get a personalized recommendation for the best BioElectric Shield for your needs by taking our EMF exposure and risk factor quiz. We’ve found most HSPs are also affected by EMF, and the Shield to reduce the EMF energy load is normally the best for all their energy protection needs.

Take the EMF Quiz for Assessment of overall Exposure and Risk, and Personal Energy Protection Recommendation

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Contact us at 541-201-8878, Mon ~ Fri, or visit our contact form. If you don’t have a Shield yet, take our Quiz and get a personal assessment of your overall exposure and risk, along with a recommendation for the best Shield Level for your needs. This quiz has been proven effective since 2016.

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