Why sensitivity is a superpower?
As sensitive people, we are much more attuned to our surroundings and aware of what's happening. Neurologically speaking, we have deeper processing. Our brains light up more in areas related to social interactions, empathy, awareness of other people's emotions.
But you may be surprised to know that it is very much possible to be both strong and sensitive. In fact, the strongest people may actually be the ones that are also highly sensitive.
Gifted people are usually also highly sensitive and intense. They are more aware of subtleties; their brain processes information and reflects on it more deeply. At their best, they can be exceptionally perceptive, intuitive, and keenly observant of the subtleties of the environment.
The good news is that highly sensitive people aren't more or less emotionally intelligent than others. They just use emotional intelligence differently.
While this personality trait presents some daily challenges, I am able to connect and build healthy relationships with others, respond more empathetically to things, and use many other strengths to my advantage. Unlike the personality trait suggests, being “highly sensitive” does not have to equal weakness.
Because highly sensitive people spend more time than others reflecting on the big questions of life, noticing things that others don't, and making connections between seemingly unrelated areas of life, they're often seen as wise and insightful people.
The positive traits of people that are highly sensitive include emotional awareness, empathy for others, the ability to pick up on small cues that others miss, dedication to fairness and justice, passionate and innovative thinking, and an ability to demonstrate good leadership through valuing others.
Living with High Sensitivity
HSPs may struggle to adapt to new circumstances, may demonstrate seemingly inappropriate emotional responses in social situations, and may easily become uncomfortable in response to light, sound, or certain physical sensations.
HSP isn't a disorder or a condition, but rather a personality trait that's also known as sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS).
It is important to note that many highly sensitive people are not narcissistic. Highly sensitive people are often aware, empathetic, and excellent listeners, which are the antithesis of narcissism.
What triggers a highly sensitive person?
Sights, sounds, smells, and other forms of sensory input may cause a heightened experience for HSPs. A sound that is barely perceptible to most people may be very noticeable, and possibly even painful, to an HSP. There's more to being a highly sensitive person than just being sensitive to stimuli.
Biologists believe there's a good reason for that: being highly sensitive can be an evolutionary advantage. In fact, sensitive people (and animals!) are able to pick up on more environmental cues, recognize things that others don't, and make smart decisions in seemingly new or unusual situations.
The word “sensitive” is often used negatively, but this doesn't have to be the case. Many good qualities come with being a highly sensitive person. And as it turns out, those who identify as highly sensitive are not rare at all – they make up about 15-20 percent of the population!
The introverted (I) intuitive (N) types (“INs”)—INFJ, INFP, INTJ and INTP—are among the most “sensitive” of the personality types. This is especially true of those who are more turbulent than assertive.
Most HSPs are either INFJs or INFPs — the ones that don't tend to be ENFJs or ENFPs. Whether you're one or both, it's important to know what stresses you, what overstimulates you and what makes you feel calm, relaxed and happy.
And while sensitive people are highly intuitive, because they have such a strong sense of empathy, they can easily end up in toxic relationships more so than others.
Because of their capacity to feel things on a deeper level, they can become easily offended by hurtful remarks made toward them or others. Highly Sensitive People quite often have a higher degree of empathy towards others, but this isn't necessarily always and only the case.
Trauma affects highly sensitive and intense people more intensely. Like any other of your reactions to stimuli, as a highly sensitive person (HSP) your trauma reactions are also more intense than most. As a result, many HSPs have used trauma splitting, or structural dissociation, as a way to cope.
- Yes, we know we're sensitive. ...
- “You're too sensitive.” ...
- “Don't take things so personally. ...
- “It's not that big a deal. ...
- “SURPRISE!” (“Expect the unexpected” is not a phrase HSPs live by.) ...
- “Let's go to this loud, crowded event!”
Because high sensitivity isn't often discussed or seen as being a personality trait like extroversion or introversion are, it is often incorrectly thought of as something about us that needs to be “fixed,” some type of disorder, when the reality couldn't be further from the truth.
What hurts a highly sensitive person?
Characteristics of Highly Sensitive People
Are easily overwhelmed by such things as bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or loud sirens. Feel stressed when they have a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. Avoid violent movies and TV shows. Withdraw during busy days.
A verbal safe haven: HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued. Since highly sensitive people feel things more deeply than most, their feelings often get hurt more quickly than others'. HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued.
Alone Time Helps HSPs Process Life
And nearly 30 percent of the population is highly sensitive, so it's not as uncommon as people think. When you're highly in tune with everything (and everyone) around you, it's natural to become overstimulated — and easily overwhelmed.
Sleep is crucial for HSPs, so make sure its highly quality and your night-time sleep is long. Most HSPs need at least 8 hours, and many sleep over the average -- 9 or 10 hours nightly. If you're not getting enough sleep you WILL burn out and edge towards depression, anxiety and become less capable of functioning.
If you are an HSP, you were born that way. You will be highly sensitive your entire life, and there are ways to draw on your sensitivity to thrive. In fact, simply being an HSP may be the source of many of your greatest strengths and gifts.
Like other co-morbid conditions that are often seen with ADHD, the fact that there are similarities and differences between ADHD traits and those of an HSP, can lead to confusion in diagnosis.
HSPs have a variant of the serotonin transporter encoding gene, known as 5-HTTLPR. The 5-HTTLPR gene variant decreases serotonin in the brain and increases sensitivity to surroundings. The HS brain may have less mood-stabilizing serotonin than the non-HS brain, but it has an enhanced ability to learn from experience.
Many HSPs are happy, confident people who have managed to use their sensitive qualities to their advantage. But there are also HSPs who struggle with how they feel about themselves, not as a result of their high sensitivity, but as a consequence of living in a less than sensitive world.
Most HSPs are empaths, and vice-versa, but this is not necessarily the case. Additionally, many confuse both of these traits as introversion. About 70% of HSPS are introverts, meaning a good number are actually extroverts. However, an introvert is not necessarily highly sensitive or an empath.
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) have an accommodating temperament combined with a quiet confidence that makes them ideal for most leadership positions. They are sensitive to the needs of others and transparent in their concern for everyone's welfare.
What is the kindest personality type?
1. ESFJ. People who fit the ESFJ personality type can usually be recognized by their big hearts and kindly manner. ESFJs are warm and welcoming and their love of tradition means they value good old-fashioned manners highly.
It helps us being alert of the danger. Sensitivity is also the basis of sympathy and empathy. Being sensitive helps build and maintain personal and professional relationships. It helps in decision-making, personally and professionally.
However, there are also benefits to being highly sensitive, especially in the right environment or with support. Some advantages include having a rich inner life and showing increased empathy. Being highly sensitive can also offer strengths in relationships and depth in processing information.
Selectivity is a known key factor for preventing general outages. Better power quality through selectivity also prevents voltage instability and network disturbances. These phenomena damage the DC power supplies of computers, shorten the life of electronic equipment and can lead to loss of data.
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) have an accommodating temperament combined with a quiet confidence that makes them ideal for most leadership positions. They are sensitive to the needs of others and transparent in their concern for everyone's welfare.
Most highly sensitive people display rare strengths in key areas of emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ) — the ability to recognize and understand emotions in themselves and others. These strengths including self-awareness and social-awareness.
Sensitivity is often seen as a sign of weakness in our culture, especially when a sensitive person experiences too much stress. We can easily become overwhelmed by too much sensory input, doing too much and ignoring our limits or just by being surrounded by too many people.
Being highly sensitive is an invaluable trait that comes with many advantages. HSPs are known to be highly observant, intuitive, thoughtful, compassionate, empathetic, conscientious, loyal, and creative. In fact, managers consistently rate people with higher sensitivity as their top contributors.
Sensitivity and Awareness are Important Leadership Skills
Being able to gauge the reactions of others heightens your awareness experience and can help get feedback you never would have if you were less sensitive.
In summary, there are two distinct types of sensitivity, one that revolves around sensing possible threats to the ego and one that involves depth of feeling. It is the second type of sensitivity that allows a person a keen awareness of other people's feelings as well as their own.
What happens in the brain of a highly sensitive person?
Highly sensitive people activate brain areas to a greater extent to interpret in great depth and detail the information of the affective and emotional states of the people around them, especially those close to them.
Highly Sensitive People thrive in situations where they can make connections with others in 1:1 or small group settings because without all of the external stimuli (mentioned above), they can better focus on interpersonal relationships.