Being a highly sensitive person means your nervous system processes everything more deeply than most people’s do: sounds, lights, emotions, other people’s moods, even your own thoughts. The scientific name is sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), a well-researched personality trait shared by roughly 15 to 20 percent of people. It isn’t a disorder or a flaw. It comes with real challenges, like overstimulation, and real strengths, like empathy, creativity, and depth.

What does it feel like to be highly sensitive?

For many of us, it shows up in small moments that feel way too big. Your eyes fill up at a TV commercial. You need ninety minutes of quiet after a birthday dinner you actually enjoyed. The fluorescent lights at the grocery store leave you feeling like you’ve run a marathon.

One of my clearest examples happened at a family gathering. Someone had moved a few stones in the garden, and underneath them was an ant colony. The ants were frantically carrying their eggs to safety, and I just stood there watching, completely in awe. Part of me felt sorry for them, because their home had just been taken away. But mostly I felt amazed by how fast they acted. It felt like watching a mother save her child and I caught myself silently cheering them on: come on, you can do it. Then, without any warning, a family member sprayed them with poison right in front of me. Before I knew it, I burst into tears and had to move away from the situation.

Everyone around me was surprised by my reaction, and I felt a bit silly for crying. But for me, it had been such an intense switch, from awe and hope to watching it all end in a second. The others didn’t seem to feel that crash. I did, because I’m a highly sensitive person.

And somewhere along the way, you’ve probably been told you’re “just too sensitive,” as if that explained everything and solved nothing. If any of this sounds familiar, there’s a name for what you’re experiencing, and you are far from alone.

HiSensitives was built around exactly this question: what does it mean to process the world more deeply than most, and how do you build a life that actually works with that? In this article, I’ll walk you through the psychology behind high sensitivity, how it differs from other traits and conditions, what tends to trigger overwhelm, and what helps me feel at ease in my own skin.

What is sensory processing sensitivity?

Sensory processing sensitivity is a stable personality trait. It’s not a disorder, and it’s not a phase you’ll grow out of. Psychologist Elaine Aron brought the concept into the mainstream in the 1990s, and researchers since then have confirmed that SPS describes consistent, measurable differences in how the brain processes information, both from the outside world and from within.

The trait shows up in roughly the same proportion across cultures and has even been documented in over 100 animal species. That tells us something important: sensitivity serves an evolutionary purpose. It isn’t a glitch in your wiring.

At its core, SPS means your brain processes what comes in more thoroughly than average. You don’t just register a sound or an emotion and move on. You process it, connect it to other things you know, reflect on what it means, and feel its weight. That’s not weakness. It’s a different operating system.

Is being highly sensitive a mental health condition?

No. SPS can go hand in hand with anxiety or depression, but it isn’t the same thing as either. You can be highly sensitive and doing really well. The trait mostly becomes a struggle when your environment, your circumstances, or your coping strategies don’t take it into account.

What are the strengths of being highly sensitive?

High sensitivity comes with real strengths: stronger empathy, heightened creativity, a sharp eye for detail, and deeper emotional connections are all well-documented. Emotional sensitivity in particular is often what makes highly sensitive people such perceptive friends and thoughtful collaborators.

For me, the biggest one is being able to tune into other people. I often sense when someone has reached their limit, needs a break, or is overthinking, long before they say anything. Usually long before they notice it themselves, too.

I once did a brainstorm session with someone for work, and at some point I could feel their energy was done for the day. I asked, “Are you sure you want to keep going?” They said, “Yes, let’s keep going!” Fifteen minutes later, they suddenly stopped: “Oh my gosh, I just noticed I’m completely finished. My energy is gone.”

Another time, I sensed something was going on with someone close to me. I asked about it, and they told me everything was fine. But I kept feeling it. At the end of that week, the bubble burst, and they shared that they’d been struggling since the beginning of the week. That was exactly when I’d first picked up on it.

There’s one condition, though: this works best when I’m grounded in my own energy. When I’m overstimulated myself, my own noise drowns out the signals. The goal isn’t to become less sensitive. It’s to stop fighting it, and to take good care of the system that makes these gifts possible.

What are the core traits of a highly sensitive person?

Elaine Aron’s DOES model organizes the HSP experience into four connected traits. Many HSPs recognize themselves in it right away:

• Depth of processing. You think things through thoroughly before acting, replay conversations long after they’ve ended, and notice implications others miss.
• Overstimulation. Because you take in so much, your nervous system reaches its limit faster, especially in busy, loud, or emotionally charged places.
• Emotional reactivity and empathy. You respond strongly to other people’s pain, feel affected by conflict even when it has nothing to do with you, and have a rich, sometimes overwhelming inner world.
• Sensing the subtle. You’re the one who notices the painting is slightly crooked, the room just got a bit colder, or something is off in a colleague’s voice before anyone else catches it.

Want to check how many of these apply to you? I put together 60 signs that you’re a highly sensitive person.

What does overstimulation feel like for an HSP?

Overstimulation isn’t just feeling tired. It’s a physical state, and it builds up. Common triggers include loud environments, bright or flickering lights, strong perfume, crowds, time pressure, and conflict. One of these on its own might be manageable. Several at once, at the end of a long day, can leave you completely drained.

For me, it comes in three levels:

• Lightly overstimulated: I feel a bit tired, not really motivated to do anything, and I feel a strong need to rest.
• More overstimulated: I stop feeling grounded in my energy. My breathing speeds up, and everything feels rushed.
• Deeply overstimulated: my hands can start shaking, I feel dizzy, and I’m not fully there mentally. I forget things or put things in the wrong place. Each additional sensory input in my surroundings feels like too much.

That last level is a very clear signal that I’ve lost my grounding completely. The earlier I catch the first level, the less likely I end up in the third.

Needing downtime after intense experiences isn’t lazy or antisocial. It’s biology. Your nervous system has processed far more information than a less sensitive person’s would in the exact same situation. Recovery time isn’t optional. It’s maintenance.

How is high sensitivity different from introversion, shyness, and being an empath?

Let’s have a look at some commonly questions I see all the time when it comes to being a highly sensitive person:

Are all highly sensitive people introverts?

No. Around 70 percent of HSPs are introverted, and roughly 30 percent are extroverted. And plenty, like me, land somewhere in between.

I’d call myself an ambivert. In social settings I’m chatty, I enjoy people, and I’m good at connecting, so people often assume I’m an extrovert. But extroverts recharge from social interaction, and I don’t. I recharge on a calm day off: gardening, reading a book, doing yoga, meditating. That’s when I go into full introvert mode.

I love everyone I spend time with, let me make that clear. But a weekend packed with social plans from Friday to Sunday evening would leave me completely drained. For years I leaned into the extrovert label because I’m talkative, and I kept hitting the same wall: I’d overcommit, and I’d feel burned out afterwards. That struggle is exactly why I developed the free Boundary Tracker for HSPs, to help you see how you spend your time, who you spend it with, and whether there’s enough room left for self-care.

That’s the key difference. Introversion and extroversion are about where you get your energy. High sensitivity is about how deeply you process, and how strongly your body reacts to stimulation. The two overlap a lot, but they aren’t the same, and mixing them up leads to misunderstanding both.

Is being highly sensitive the same as being shy?

No. Shyness involves fear or self-consciousness in social situations. High sensitivity isn’t rooted in fear. That said, a sensitive person who has been told over and over that they’re “too much” can develop social anxiety along the way. Knowing the difference helps you understand yourself better, and helps you find the right kind of support.

What’s the difference between an HSP and an empath?

The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe different things. High sensitivity is a well-researched trait with measurable characteristics. “Empath” is a broader, more informal term that focuses on the experience of absorbing other people’s emotions. Many HSPs relate strongly to it, but not every self-identified empath meets the criteria for sensory processing sensitivity, and the other way around. I dive deeper into this in empath vs. HSP: what is the difference?

How does high sensitivity relate to autism, ADHD, and social anxiety?

There’s real overlap here, and research on how these traits relate to each other is still evolving. They’re different profiles, but they aren’t mutually exclusive: you can be highly sensitive and autistic, or highly sensitive and have ADHD. If you recognize yourself in the descriptions below, please don’t let the HSP label stop you from seeking an assessment. Understanding your full picture is what gets you the right support.

Autism. Many autistic people experience sensory overload, just like HSPs. Autism is a broader neurodevelopmental profile, though, which can also include differences in social communication, a strong need for routine and predictability, and deep, focused interests. Sensory sensitivity is one part of that picture, not the whole of it. That’s why a proper assessment looks at everything together, not just sensory reactions. You can read more in highly sensitive person and autism.

ADHD. ADHD is mainly about how attention, impulses, and energy are regulated. Sensory processing sensitivity is about how deeply you process what comes in. They’re different things, but they often show up together, and many people with ADHD are very sensitive to sensory input too.

Social anxiety. Some HSPs develop social anxiety after years of overwhelm or painful social experiences. High sensitivity itself isn’t rooted in fear, but when anxiety is there, it deserves its own care and support. A good therapist can help you untangle what’s what.

What triggers overwhelm in highly sensitive people?

You might wonder what exactly it is that triggers overwhelm in HSPs. Here are some common triggers:

Sensory triggers

The most common physical and environmental triggers are noise, bright or flickering lights, crowds, strong perfumes or chemicals, temperature changes, hunger, and caffeine. They hit harder for HSPs because the nervous system processes sensory input more thoroughly, so it also reaches its limit sooner. The same party that energizes one person can leave an HSP needing a full day to recover.

Triggers differ a lot from person to person. One HSP may be very sensitive to sound but handle crowds fine. Another may barely notice noise but find strong smells physically distressing. That variety is part of the trait, not an inconsistency in it.

Emotional and social triggers

Emotional triggers are just as real. Conflict, criticism, feeling watched or evaluated, absorbing a friend’s stress, witnessing injustice or harm, or sitting through a film with intense themes can all cause real overwhelm. Many HSPs don’t just observe someone else’s distress from a distance. They feel it in their own body, the way I felt it watching those ants suffering.

These reactions aren’t overdramatic. They’re the natural result of a nervous system wired to process deeply and respond fully. Calling them “too much” only adds shame to an already heavy load.

How can highly sensitive people manage overwhelm?

So, how can you manage overwhelm as an HSP? I’ve sorted them into three categories:

In-the-moment relief when you’re overstimulated

When you’re already overstimulated, the goal is to bring your nervous system back down so your brain can process what it’s already taken in. These are the tools I reach for, in this order:

• My breath. It’s the one tool I always have with me. I start with slow, deep breaths in and out. Sometimes I use box breathing: breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four. It calms my energy down remarkably fast.
• My Shakti mat or grounding mat. When I’m really overstimulated and at home, I lie down on my Shakti mat or my grounding mat, depending on what feels most comfortable in that moment. A heads-up about the Shakti mat: the first moments of lying down can feel a bit stimulating. But after about two minutes, a wave of relaxation spreads through my body, and it’s amazing.
• Essential oils. I love calming oils like lavender But I also reach for feel-good oils like orange, because sometimes, when you’re overwhelmed, it helps to simply feel good for a moment.

Two other research-backed tools are worth knowing:

• The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. It anchors your attention in the present and interrupts the spiral of overwhelm.
• Gentle movement or natural light. Stepping outside or moving your body a little can bring your nervous system down without any preparation.

You’ll find more of my favorite tools in my personal HSP emergency kit, and more ideas in these 24 grounding techniques for HSPs and empaths.

Prevention: building a life that works with your nervous system

At HiSensitives, we see regulation as the root everything else grows from. When your nervous system feels safe, boundaries, connection, and self-trust become so much easier. And for HSPs, prevention almost always works better than damage control.

That means designing your environment and schedule around how your system actually works, instead of waiting until you’re depleted. Strategies with solid research behind them include:

• Building healthy routines
• Planning quiet recovery time after busy periods
• Reducing sensory clutter at home and at work: soft lighting, less noise, visual simplicity
• Protecting your sleep
• Giving yourself transition time between activities instead of rushing from one thing to the next

A simple place to start: look at what gives you energy and what drains it. For me, a calm day with my hands in the garden or a book on my lap refills me. A fully booked weekend empties me. Once you can see that clearly, you can start making choices with it instead of against it.

Longer-term support: therapy and community

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has strong research support for working with the thought patterns that make overwhelm worse: criticizing yourself for needing more rest, shame around your sensitivity, and catastrophizing after conflict.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction, an 8-week structured program, has been tested specifically with HSPs. Participants showed less stress and social anxiety, and more self-acceptance, emotional empathy, and mindfulness, with effects that held and even improved at a four-week follow-up.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) offers another research-backed path, teaching you to make room for strong emotions without letting them run the show.

Therapy isn’t the only option, though, and it isn’t always the first step. Sometimes the most important first step is simply being somewhere that gets it. That’s what we try to offer at HiSensitives: blogs, practical tools, masterclasses with experts, and a free community of people who understand exactly what you’re going through.

High sensitivity is not a problem to solve

Today, I see my sensitivity as a real strength. Not because it got smaller, but because I’ve built a life that keeps me balanced. I’ve learned what I need and what isn’t good for my system.

For a long time, I tried to fit into the same mold everyone else seemed to be squeezing into. Eventually I realized that mold simply wasn’t made for me. It worked much better to ask myself how I want to walk through life, how I want to feel, and what I want to fill my days with. That’s a big part of why I became an entrepreneur, and why I follow my own path in my personal life too, including when it comes to family planning.

I know that comes from a place of privilege. Not everyone can change everything at once, and I couldn’t either. Creating a life that feels calm and supports my nervous system took me years, with plenty of struggle along the way. But it has been worth every bit of the effort.

So if you’ve just discovered you’re highly sensitive and it still feels like a burden, start here:

1. Look at your life as it is right now.
2. Notice what gives you energy, and what drains it.
3. Change one thing that drains you, and replace it with something that fills you up.

That one swap is already a real first step. The work isn’t to become less sensitive. It’s to stop managing your sensitivity as a problem and start building a life that works with it.

That belief is the heart of HiSensitives: sensitivity, understood and supported, can become one of your greatest strengths. Rooted in who you are. Growing into who you’re becoming.

Frequently Asked Questions about Being a Highly Sensitive Person

Feeling seen in this? You don’t have to figure it out alone. Come say hi in our free HiSensitives Facebook community, or if overwhelm is what you’re struggling with most right now, take a look at our masterclass Reduce Anxiety and Overwhelm as an HSP.

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• How To Stop Taking Things Personally as a Highly Sensitive Person
• How to Deal With an Emotional Rollercoaster When Going on Dates as an Empath
• How To Deal With Sensory Overload When You Are Highly Sensitive
• 10 Common Signs Your Nervous System is Out of Balance

In this article, we collaborated with AI, meaning that the input and stories are original human ideas, but the text itself has been created with support from AI. All AI content is being edited and factchecked by our editor.

The post What It Really Means to Be a Highly Sensitive Person appeared first on HiSensitives.

Radical self-love, for highly sensitive people and empaths, means treating your own needs and emotions with the same care you’d offer someone else — not as an occasional treat, but as a daily practice. This guide covers the signs you’re overdue for it and practical methods to start.

When I was 22 I discovered that I am a highly sensitive person and empath. It was at a challenging moment in my life, as I spent time recovering from some past traumas during therapy.

Somehow, I just could not seem to be as happy as ‘everyone else’. Oftentimes, I felt anxious, worried and overwhelmed. Self-love was a term I didn’t know at that time. All I could do was to give my love and friendliness to others. They were on top of my priority list.

My therapist brought up that I may be a highly sensitive person and empath. Also, she mentioned that it may be time for me to put self-love first. Before that conversation, I convinced myself that self-love was selfish and egoistic. Nonetheless, it was a false perception of my ego in order to keep me small and insecure. Because that’s where the ego thrives.

After therapy I realized that my therapist may be onto something and dove into the topic radical self-love. For the past 7 years, I discovered all types of techniques that help me to love myself more.

Something I realized in this self-love journey, is that highly sensitive people and empaths have different needs when it comes to self-love. Due to our increased sensitivity and empathy, we process input differently compared to less sensitive people. Moreover, we require more downtime in order to truly thrive.

Therefore, I created this special radical self-love guide for highly sensitive people and empaths. Hopefully, it helps you to develop a deeper, more loving relationship with yourself.

If self-love has always felt more like a nice idea than a daily practice, Somatics for Self-Love gives you body-based practices to actually build it, not just think about it.

What Is Radical Self-Love For Highly Sensitive People And Empaths?

Generally speaking, radical self-love is the act of loving yourself to a degree where you understand that who you are is more than enough. Moreover, you are fully aware that you are good enough, despite eventual flaws and shortcomings. Instead of bashing yourself over and over again for past mistakes, you embrace them with love and patience.

Practicing radical self-love helps you to feel content and calm in life. It provides you with the ability to appreciate yourself. No matter where you are in your personal growth journey.

Radical self-love for highly sensitive people and empaths means embracing your sensitivity and extraordinary abilities and investing in yourself. Oftentimes, we tend to look at our shortcomings. For example, I remember always feeling bad about not being able to keep up with ‘the rest’. Also, I struggled to relax and take time for myself to recharge (while ‘the rest’ worked inhumane hours). This was something I felt incredibly guilty about.

We who are highly sensitive people and empaths need to realize something important. To be specific, that radical self-love is our key towards fulfillment and happiness in life. By taking care of our own needs first, we will have more energy and joy. This helps us when we want to help others with our gifts.

Common Signs That You Need Radical Self-Love In Your Life

I can imagine that you wonder whether you actually need radical self-love. Perhaps, your mind and ego continuously try to convince you that self-love is selfish and bad. Moreover, you may be unaware that radical self-love is the solution to some of your current challenges. Therefore, I summarized some of the common signs of a lack of self-love amongst highly sensitive people and empaths for you below.

Low Self-Esteem

One of the most common signs of a lack of self-love amongst highly sensitive people and empaths is low self-esteem. For instance, you may compare yourself to others and measure your self-worth based on what they are doing.

Seeking Validation From The Outside

Another common sign that you should practice self-love is that you oftentimes seek validation from others. Rather than believing your own thoughts about yourself, you ask others what they think of you and everything you do.

People-pleasing

Because of the need to seek validation from others, people-pleasing is a common sign that you lack self-love as well. Do you put others needs in front of yours all the time? This may be a clear sign that you should invest more time in radical self-love.

Feeling Overwhelmed And Stressed Out

Highly sensitive people and empaths who lack self-love oftentimes experience feelings of overwhelm and stress. Because of their people-pleasing tendencies, they give everything they have to others instead of themselves. As a result, they pour from an empty cup. Consequently, this results in feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.

Strong Inner Critic

Do you oftentimes experience negative self-talk where you bash yourself unnecessarily? A strong inner critic is a sign that you should invest more time in radical self-love. Because highly sensitive people and empaths tend to overthink, a strong inner critic can easily take over our inner talk.

Struggling With Believing Compliments

Highly sensitive people and empaths who need self-love often struggle with receiving compliments. Although they seek validation from the outside, hearing that validation and internalizing it is challenging for them. As they do not believe what they hear, it can be tough for them to accept the kind words and actually believe them.

Radical Self-Love Methods For Highly Sensitive People And Empaths

Did you relate to some of the signs above? Then this is your sign to start practicing radical self-love. Below, you can find 7 ways to practice self-love as a highly sensitive person and empath.

#1 Heal Your Past Traumas

Looking back at my own self-love journey, it began at the time I started working on healing my traumas. As mentioned, I started therapy when I was 22 years old. It was there I uncovered the things I did not want to look at previously. For example, I faced bad memories from my time in elementary school and wounds from past, non-healthy relationships. It was incredibly confronting and at first I felt as if I was feeling worse.

However, experiencing heavy emotions when healing is very normal. In fact, it are all the suppressed emotions that you are feeling at that moment. Nonetheless, once you start feeling these emotions instead of resisting them, you will soon realize a lightness within you. The bottled-up emotions are gone and you can start to heal these wounds in a calm and conscious way.

Highly sensitive people and empaths who want to practice self-love benefit greatly from healing first. Instead of neglecting what you are feeling, you become authentically honest with yourself. Moreover, you begin to understand that a part of self-love is to embrace every part of yourself, also the dark aspects from your past.

Once you heal your wounds, your memories from the past along with the people in those memories will no longer have power over you. Finally, you will be in charge of how you feel about yourself. That is the first step towards radical self-love.

#2 Understand Why You’re Here

Once you have uncovered bad memories and started your healing journey, it may be interesting for you to ask yourself the following question: “Why am I here?”

This is a deep question that many people wonder about. Every person enters this planet for a reason. Moreover, you are here to fulfill your life’s purpose. But what is that purpose? How do you know what you are destined to be in this life?

Highly sensitive people and empaths have a tendency to think deeply and seek a higher purpose in life, so this question may be very interesting for us to investigate. When I started healing, discovering my higher purpose became more and more important to me.

The only place you can find an answer to that question is within you. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s the truth. Your ‘system’ will tell you where to go in life. Once you find your ‘one thing’, your body will show you that you are on the right path. You will feel a sense of inner peace, excitement, and fulfillment when you have discovered your higher purpose.

Something that truly helped me in confirming that I am on the right path, is to look at my Human Design chart. When I discovered it, it amazed me to see that I am already doing many of the things I am ‘designed’ to do in this life. It was a nice confirmation to have that I am on the right path.

Living according to your life purpose is the ultimate act of self-love. You do something that you are good at, that you love, that the worlds needs, and that you can get paid for.

#3 Identify Your Self-Talk

One of the biggest blockages for practicing radical self-love is negative self-talk. Many of us struggle with a strong inner critic. However, this often is an unconscious voice in your mind. A voice that runs on auto-pilot.

For me, it was a real eye-opener to identify my inner self-talk. In cooperation with my coach, I visualized everything I was telling myself on a daily basis with this self-talk exercise.

Inner Self-Talk Exercise

In this exercise, you identify the different things you tell yourself and place them on a bus. The thoughts that you hear the most, you place in the front seats of your bus. Consequently, you add the more silent thoughts further back in the bus.

It is a very confronting task that I experienced to be deeply emotional. I was surprised to see that the loudest thoughts in my mind were negative things such as ‘I am not good enough’ or ‘I don’t deserve happiness’.

Once you realize which stories you keep repeating about yourself, you can start to decondition your mind and give these thoughts less power. Does that mean you will never struggle with negative self-talk again? No. However, by becoming aware of your inner talk, you can tackle it at the core.

How To Stop Inner Self-Talk

Instead of running negative thoughts on auto play, you now stop them once you become aware of them. In those moments, acknowledge them by thinking:

“I notice that I am thinking thought X. This is a thought from moment X and does not relate to the present moment. Thank you mind, for trying to protect me.’

Why the last sentence? Oftentimes, negative thoughts are trying to protect us. Because they are linked to a negative situation, your mind will start relating new, exciting, and perhaps similar situations to that past experience. Therefore, once your mind acknowledges certain patterns from the past, it will do everything in its power to stop you from that ‘danger’ again.

How? Through negative self-talk! Why? Because it works! It is how we are wired, especially when we are highly sensitive people. However, this mechanism oftentimes keeps us in our comfort zone, where growth rarely happens.

Therefore, repeat the sentence above when you notice negative thoughts. Stop the thought at the core by acknowledging it and telling yourself that this thought relates to your past. This way, you will notice more self-love within and dare to take more risks in the future.

#4 Practice Self-Affirmation

Earlier in this article, I stated that a common sign of a lack of self-love is the need to seek validation outward. In order to break that pattern and start practicing self-love, highly sensitive people and empaths can apply self-affirmations in their daily lives.

This is an incredibly powerful method to use in combination with tackling negative self-talk. However, we don’t only use self-affirmations when struggling with negative thoughts. We also apply them as a habit in our daily life.

Think about the things that currently make you feel the most insecure. Write all of them down. Once you have created a list of all these insecurities, start to create positive affirmations.

For example, if you think that you always lack money, replace it with the powerful affirmation: “I attract money and am financially abundant.”

Throughout the day, repeat your positive affirmations to yourself and feel the positive energy of those statements. For example, put up an affirmation on your bathroom mirror and repeat it to yourself loudly whenever you look in the mirror.

Also, you could download an affirmation app like ‘Affirm it’ to receive notifications of your positive affirmations on your phone at random moments of the day, week, and month. I find this method to be incredibly powerful to focus on maintaining a positive attitude and staying resilient. Additionally, affirmations have strengthened my love for myself.

#5 Set Healthy (Energetic) Boundaries

As highly sensitive people and empaths, we are more receptive to feeling the energies of others. Our empathic side sometimes even wants to carry these energies for other people in order to make them feel better. However, it is not our place to take over energies.

Yes, we can feel them in our bodies, but it is important to return these energies to the sender at the end of the day. This is called setting healthy energetic boundaries.

Returning and reclaiming energy

One of the self-love methods you as an empath or highly sensitive person can try is to visualize where you want to feel the energies of others.

I, for example, put one hand around my other hand’s wrist and repeat to myself, that negative energy only is allowed to be felt in my hands. This way, I can still help people by attuning to their needs, but not take over their heavy energy in my entire body. After trying this method and encountering negative energies, I felt a tingling feeling in my hands. It was amazing to see how that energetic boundary worked.

Moreover, try to always return energy to its rightful owner by the end of the day. You can intentionally do so by tuning into your body and feel the places where it feels like you are holding onto energy that isn’t yours. Visualize how you pull the energy out of that place, like pulling weeds out of the ground in your garden. Visualize how you return the energy to its owner.

In addition, it is wise to call back energy that you have given out throughout the day. It is important for you to disconnect from any connections that may be draining you. If you find this challenging, you may want to give this meditation a try:

In the end, setting healthy energetic boundaries is a major act of self-love and self-respect. For me, it was a life changing insight that helped me to take better care of myself and ultimately love myself more.

If you struggle with negative, or toxic people in your life, you may want to discover the book ‘The Highly Sensitive Person’s Guide to Dealing with Toxic People: How to Reclaim Your Power from Narcissists and Other Manipulators’.

#6 Learn To Reduce Anxiety

Highly sensitive people especially often struggle with anxious feelings. Due to their heightened activity in their amygdala – the part of the brain responsible for freeze, flight & fight reactions – HSP’s often are anxious. Hence, a major aspect of self-love for highly sensitive people and empaths struggling with anxiety is to learn how to reduce anxious feelings.

There are many ways to become a less anxious person, but I found EFT – the emotional freedom technique – to be particularly useful. Within EFT, you tap on acupressure points on your body. By doing so, you send signals to your brain to calm down and tell it that the situation is safe. Oftentimes, EFT goes paired with using specific statements while tapping.

In this video, you will learn how to do EFT tapping on yourself when you are anxious:

#7 Rest And Recharge Without Guilt

Highly sensitive people and empaths need to rest and recharge more frequently compared to less sensitive people. However, I know from my own experiences and those of the Ideal Self Plus members, that this can be a tricky one.

In society, resting is looked at as unproductive and lazy. Preferably, everybody works crazy hours in order to keep the money machine going. However, this is an outdated way of living. Humans are not designed to live this way. Sadly, many people are driven by ego and do not understand that.

It is easy to want to follow the crowd and neglect your own needs in order to fit in. However, there is a big risk that you will eventually burn out. Remember that we are not designed to live life at that pace.

Therefore, one of the most radical self-love methods is to be kind to yourself and rest and recharge without guilt. By listening to your body and resting when it tells you to rest, you will be way more productive and happy, than if you neglect those needs.

For example, while writing this blog, I noticed halfway that I became tired. Instead of pushing through and finishing the blog with low energy, I meditated and took a power nap first. Afterward, my words easily flew into this article, because I took time to rest.

If I would have continued writing while I was tired, it probably would have taken me three times longer to finish, because inspiration does not come from a place of exhaustion. Moreover, you as a reader would have felt that my energy was off. Energy is transferred in many ways, also through words. Hence, rest without guilt.

The Self-Love Journey For Highly Sensitive People And Empaths Begins Here

If self-love has always felt more like a nice idea than a daily practice, the HiSensitives masterclass Somatics for Self-Love gives you body-based practices for HSPs to actually build it, not just think about it.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey towards more self-love and hope to connect with you on our socials and inside our membership!

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• Why Practicing Self-Love Should Be One Of Your Top Priorities
• Struggling With Negative Self-Talk? Try This Simplistic Approach!
• 60 Signs That You Are A Highly Sensitive Person
• Do You Know Your Self Care Love Language?

The post Radical Self-Love Guide For Highly Sensitive People And Empaths appeared first on HiSensitives.

If phrases like “you’re too sensitive” or “you need thicker skin” sound familiar, you may be a highly sensitive person (HSP), someone whose nervous system processes sensory and emotional input more deeply than average, estimated at 15-20% of the population. Below are 60 common signs, from overthinking and easy overwhelm to strong intuition and a deep love of art and nature. You don’t need to relate to all 60 to be an HSP.

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Estimated reading time: 32 minutes

I am so excited to share this blog with you! HSP coach Tiara Ariel and I have combined our strengths to put together this extensive list of signs that you are a highly sensitive person. Based on our own insights from working with and for HSP’s and input from scientific studies we have created this massive list.

If you are anything like me, you have felt like an outsider or different from others for most part of your life. For a long time, you couldn’t make sense of it and perhaps you still can’t. Therefore, I hope that after reading this blog you will be able to understand why you are feeling the way you feel. Perhaps you will discover that you are highly sensitive. Find out by browsing through this extensive list of signs that you are a highly sensitive person.

And while you’re here, make sure to check out our free boundary tracker printable for highly sensitive people!

The 60 Signs That You Are A Highly Sensitive Person

Below, you can find the 60 signs that you might be a highly sensitive person. In the table below, you can directly navigate to the sections that intrigue you.

1. Overthinking

Because of their depth of processing external stimuli, highly sensitive people have a tendency to overthink a lot. Therefore, at times it might feel like you can’t turn off your thoughts. 

Moreover, you might struggle to fall asleep in the evening because your thoughts won’t shut off. 

Oftentimes, highly sensitive people also lay awake in the middle of the night because of their thoughts. These can be thoughts about the past day, thoughts about the future or even thoughts where you obsess about tiny details from the far past.

Hence, overthinking is one of the common sights that you are a highly sensitive person. If you are struggling with a loud and busy mind, you may want to read the book ‘Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts‘.

2. Often Tired

One of the consequences of deep processing and overthinking everything, is that you might feel tired and exhausted all the time. 

Even after 8 full hours of sleep you might wake up and wonder what is wrong with you. Actually, I do this all the time.

Because you process everything so very deeply, you also need more time to rest during the night and throughout the day. This can be challenging for many highly sensitive people in this fast-paced society.

3. Easily Stressed

One of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person is that you tend to feel easily stressed.

As mentioned, highly sensitive people need more rest compared to less sensitive people. Accordingly, packed schedules and many tasks on the to do-list tend to stress out the highly sensitive person easily.

In addition, highly sensitive people are known to be conflict-avoiding and they care deeply about the expectations of others. As a consequence, they hate letting others down and when they sense that this is the case, this can cause great stress within them.

Finally, because of their ability to pick up the tiniest changes in their environment, this can cause great stress when their senses are stimulated in a non-pleasing way. For instance, think about sudden changes in noise levels or brighter lights.

Struggling with stress? The book ‘The Self Care Prescription: Powerful Solutions to Manage Stress, Reduce Anxiety & Increase Wellbeing’ may help you to cope with stress and increase your overall wellbeing as a highly sensitive person.

4. Not Functioning Well When Being Observed

Highly sensitive people are some of the most productive and capable employees you can find. 

While they are performing amazingly when working in a HSP-friendly, calm environment – preferably on their own-, they might function poorly when being observed.

Being observed causes them to feel stressed by the expectations of the others and as you may know, one of the worst fears of an HSP is to let others down. 

Accordingly, this fear for disappointing others causes highly sensitive people to actually perform worse while being observed.

5. Emotional Intensity

Do you sometimes feel that you experience certain emotions more deeply than others? This is one of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person.

In fact, studies show that highly sensitive people are known to process emotions more deeply. Accordingly, they feel emotions more intensely.

This can be a true gift in good times and feel like a curse in bad times. Therefore, it is incredibly important for highly sensitive people to manage emotional regulation.

For example, you might consider to try EFT tapping (emotional freedom therapy). Here is an interesting video upon EFT tapping:

6. Feeling Out Of Place

Because highly sensitive people experience the world differently compared to less sensitive people, they might feel out of place many times.

Society is mostly fast and busy, as less sensitive people seem to have less problems with that pace. However, highly sensitive people might feel out of place and the desire to slow down more often.

Consequently, this different need can cause them to feel different and like ‘the weird kid’. Know that it is completely normal to be highly sensitive and that there is nothing wrong with wanting to live a slower lifestyle.

7. Self-Conscious

Highly sensitive people have a tendency to overthink everything around them – including themselves and their own actions. Hence, the common highly sensitive person is rather self-conscious.

Because of their strong sense of self-consciousness, highly sensitive people often look at ways to improve themselves and grow on a personal level. Also, they tend to reflect in-depth about how they come across to other people.

Therefore, that is why I started HiSensitives together with my fiancé Riny; to support highly sensitive people’s need for personal growth.

8. Extremely Empathic

Highly sensitive people have a heightened amount of mirror neurons in their brain. Mirror neurons enable people to emphasize and feel the pain of others more deeply. 

Accordingly, highly sensitive people often are extremely empathic. As a result, they care deeply about everyone and everything around them and feel other people’s emotions as if they were their own.

If you’d like to learn more about empathy, here’s an interesting video for you:

9. Fear Of Rejection

Due to their extremely empathic nature, highly sensitive people might experience a strong fear of being rejected by others. Especially highly sensitive introverts, who often are labelled as shy, might experience this fear strongly. 

This fear can show itself in the strangest ways: for example by being afraid to raise your hand and speak up – even if you know you have the right answer.

Another way this fear of rejection can show itself is when you are afraid to share your opinion with someone you disagree with, out of fear of being rejected by them.

If you are struggling with a strong fear of rejection, this book may be an inspiring read for you: ‘Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection’

10. Fear Of Failure

Another common fear amongst highly sensitive people is the fear of failure. Because they have a tendency to care so very deeply about everything they take on, the fear of it failing can truly eat us up.

In worst cases, the fear of failure within a highly sensitive person is so strong, that they don’t even dare to take on new projects or give their new dream a chance. To elaborate, the idea that it might fail horrifies a highly sensitive person.

11. Feeling Misunderstood By Others

Do you have a tendency to feel misunderstood by others? Either in relation to how you perceive your environment or how you feel about certain situations? This is one of the common signs that you are a highly sensitive person. 

One thing I recognize often in the HSP community is that before highly sensitive people understand that they are highly sensitive, they feel like ‘the weird kid’. For example, they might feel like they are the only ones in the world experiencing things intensely or different.

However, once you know for sure that you are part of the HSP club, the feeling of being misunderstood will decrease. Finally you will find your people who get it. Who are the same. It will feel like a true relief to you. I know I felt that way.

12. Disliking Loud Noises

Studies show that highly sensitive people process sensory stimulation more intensely. Hence, their senses are heightened and they are more easily overwhelmed by sensory input.

For instance, one type of sensory input that can feel overwhelming to highly sensitive people, are loud noises. Or even worse: loud, unexpected noises. 

Highly sensitive people struggle to function when they are in a noisy environment. Therefore, noise cancelling earbuds (affiliate link) are a highly sensitive person’s best friend.

13. Preferring Dim Lighting

Another result of being easily overwhelmed by sensory input, is that many highly sensitive people prefer dim lighting.

Because it is less overwhelming to their senses, dim lighting is a pleasant and cozy light source to the typical HSP.

14. Loving Art And Music

One of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you truly appreciate art and music. 

Consequently, you could just sit and listen to (calm) music for hours and feel the words and sounds in every fibre of your body.

The same goes for art; due to their deep sensory processing, beautiful art can trigger wonderful emotions within a highly sensitive person.

15. Loving Animals

A positive side effect of being highly empathic, is that highly sensitive people often love animals. 

Moreover, they can emphasize with their pure, innocent nature and often find comfort in their pets. Comfort, which they sometimes struggle to find within other people.

16. Loving Nature

Similar to being around animals, highly sensitive people seem to truly thrive when being in nature. For instance, a walk in the forest, on the beach or in the mountains can do wonders for their physical and mental health.

Why? Perhaps because the external stimuli from nature is more pleasant to them. No loud car sounds, construction sites and crowds of people. Paradise!

17. Deeply Caring

The empathic nature of a highly sensitive person often results in them caring deeply about everyone and everything around them.

Because of their caring personality, they sometimes struggle to realize that not everyone around them cares as deeply about things as they do. Hence, this can result in frustration and disappointment.

18. Perfectionistic

Highly sensitive people are known to have an incredible eye for detail. Because of that, they tend to be rather perfectionistic. 

Their perfectionism can be a strength in relation to their work, as it causes them to deliver projects of high quality. However, it can also slow them down and sometimes even result in unrealistic expectations towards themselves and never being satisfied with the outcome.

Here’s an incredible podcast upon the topic perfectionism.

19. Strong Inner Critic

Due to their overthinking tendencies, highly sensitive people often struggle with a strong inner critic. In addition, their challenges regarding dealing with criticism, causes their inner critic to remember every tiny bit of criticism they’ve ever received.

As a result, many highly sensitive people often are their own worst critic and almost bully themselves over the tiniest mistakes in their lives. If you struggle with a strong inner critic, this video might be interesting for you:

20. Wanting A Higher Purpose In Life (In Career)

Have you ever found yourself dreading to go to work, because you don’t see the point in doing that job? Most likely, that job was not meaningful enough to you. 

Studies have shown that highly sensitive people can’t just have a job to make money. Hence, their career must be meaningful and support their higher purpose in life.

21. Enjoying Small Things In Life Nobody Else Seems To Notice

One of the other signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you enjoy the small things in life which nobody else around you seems to take notice of.

Because highly sensitive people process and notice every tiny detail around them, they are able to notice these seemingly small and simple things.

Have you ever found yourself appreciating the smell of the rain, a light breeze on your skin or the sound of the wind whispering through the trees, while the person you were with was looking at you like you were crazy? Welcome to the world of a highly sensitive person.

Do you want to embrace the small things in life even more? This ’52 Week Guide To Cultivate An Attitude Of Gratitude’ may help you with that!

22. Thinking How The World Operates Right Now Is Too Fast, Competitive, And Multi-task Driven

One of the most common thoughts we notice in our community for highly sensitive people and empaths, is that they are struggling with the pace of (Western) society. For instance, they find it too fast, too focused on competition and struggle with the ideal of working on multiple tasks at the same time.

To demonstrate, ask a highly sensitive person about their dream life and they will most likely talk about a calm home (in nature), with a job that is stress-free and can be performed at their own pace.

23. Often Feeling Guilty

Feeling guilty about things that you say or do is one of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person. Most likely, this origins from the overthinking tendencies of the typical highly sensitive person.

Small discussions or signs that another person is displeased with a certain behavior might be overanalyzed by a highly sensitive person and hence result in feelings of guilt. 

Oftentimes, when you check in with the other person and tell them about your guilt, you will realize that there was no reason to feel guilty about anything in the first place.

If you have been struggling with feelings of guilt your entire life, the book ‘Let Go of the Guilt’ may be a good read for you.

24. Feeling ‘High Maintenance’

Because there are certain things that can result in overwhelm and overstimulation within a highly sensitive person, they might avoid specific situations.

Things that less sensitive people don’t seem to struggle with at all, might feel like a big deal to a highly sensitive person. For instance, think about the yearly weekend getaway with your husband’s entire family. All these people under one roof without a space to find silence, might be incredibly overstimulating for a highly sensitive person. 

Not being able to deal with these types of situations ‘normally’, can cause a highly sensitive person to feel high maintenance. 

However, know that being overwhelmed by certain situations is completely normal when you are highly sensitive and that there is no reason to be ashamed of it.

25. Hearing Phrases Such As “You Are Too Sensitive”

If you are highly sensitive, you most likely have heard one of the following phrases sooner or later in your life:

• “You are so needy”
• “You are too emotional”
• “Just get over it” 
• “Let it go”
• “You are taking things too personal”
• “You are too sensitive”

Do these sound familiar to you? If they do, chances are likely that they were said to you by less sensitive people and that you in fact are highly sensitive. 

Oftentimes, when highly sensitive people don’t know about their trait, they struggle to set healthy boundaries for themselves. Moreover, they push themselves to a level of emotional exhaustion and might occasionally experience ‘emotional overload’. It is often in those situations, when people feel justified to make one of those statements towards an HSP.

While it is not okay at all to be criticised like this, know that you will hear these types of statements less, once you find out how to set healthy boundaries for yourself and learn how to thrive as a highly sensitive person.

26. Very Creative

While no studies currently prove that highly sensitive people are more creative than less sensitive people, their depth of processing external input might result in creative output. However, this is only the case if the highly sensitive person has enough confidence to do so. 

So if you find that you are very creative, this might be a sign that you are highly sensitive. Therefore, once you join a couple of communities for highly sensitive people, you will realize that being creative is a common shared interest among HSP’s.

For instance, if you want to embrace your creativity as a highly sensitive person, the creativity journal ‘Creative Thinking Journal: fun, creative challenges designed to increase your creativity‘ may be what you are looking for!

27. Eye For Detail

Highly sensitive people are known to pay attention to detail. Therefore, they will notice the tiniest, most subtle changes in their environment or in the behavior of a person. 

Oftentimes, they see things which others tend to pass by without noticing.

28. Trying Hard To Be A Good Friend

One of the common signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you are trying hard to be a good friend. Oftentimes, you tend to remember the things that others seem to forget. 

When your friend is feeling down, you are doing everything to comfort them in a way that makes them happy. Due to your empathic nature, this comes naturally to you.

29. Worrying About What Others Think Of You

Because you are a highly sensitive empath who feels emotions of others rather easily, you preferably want to be liked by everyone. Therefore you care deeply about what others think of you.

Oftentimes, you might overthink the signals you receive from others and start worrying about whether you did something to upset them or to like you less. If you recognize this behaviour within yourself, this might be an interesting video for you:

30. Feeling Better After Time Alone In Your Own “Sacred” Space

Another sign that you are a highly sensitive person is that you feel like a new person after recharging in your ‘sacred’ space. This could be a cozy living room, your bathroom or your bedroom, depending on where you can relax the most.

This is not only the case for highly sensitive introverts, who prefer downtime alone. Also highly sensitive extroverts need to retreat to their own space to recharge their energy.

31. Preferring Your Own Bed And Home

One of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you prefer your home above anything else. Why? Because you have (hopefully) adapted your home to your needs. 

Dim lighting, cozy furniture, silent rooms and pleasant smells are one of the main reasons why you prefer your home above a fancy hotel room or staying at a friends house. In addition, a bed that fits your sleeping needs makes you prefer to sleep at home.

Even if you are a high sensation seeker and HSP, nothing beats coming home to your own four walls to recharge after a fun experience.

32. Feeling Better When You Are In Control Of Your Environment

Highly sensitive people might prefer to know what is going to happen around them, as they are easily startled by surprising sounds, lights or experiences. Therefore, they tend to prefer being in an environment which they know well. 

Of course a highly sensitive person is able to adapt to new situations too, but these will most likely overwhelm them greatly due to all the new external input. Hence, they might feel the need to recharge after such an experience.

33. Preferring Your Own Mode Of Transportation Instead Of Public Transport

Another subtle sign that you might be a highly sensitive person, is that you prefer your own transport above public transport. The reason is simple: public transport craves more of your energy.

All the people, the sounds and the smells can feel quite overwhelming to a highly sensitive person. External stimuli, which can be avoided by commuting on your own.

34. Easily Overwhelmed

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were easily overwhelmed? Chances are likely that this situation involved unpredictable, loud sounds, bright lights or too many people around you. 

This is a lot to take in for a highly sensitive person. Due to their depth of processing, the high amount of external stimulation can cause an HSP to feel overwhelmed more easily. 

Accordingly, highly sensitive people might not be the biggest fans of large crowds and events, simply because it overwhelms them to the max.

If overwhelm is a common struggle for you, you may want to discover the book ‘The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You’.

35. Relationships Can Be Intense And Challenging

Highly sensitive people and relationships can be a challenge if the partner, friend or relative does not understand what being a highly sensitive person means. Also, somebody close who does not acknowledge the trait can feel challenging for a highly sensitive person. How?

However, when your partner, friend or relative isn’t aware of the trait or does not want to acknowledge it, you constantly find yourself in situations that overwhelm you and they won’t understand why. 

Accordingly, it is important to talk with them about your sensitivity and your needs and to set healthy boundaries in relationships. This can be an intense progress, as you might face resistance from them. However, be patient and try to show them scientific data to back up what you are trying to tell them. Perhaps you could show them this video:

36. Very Uncomfortable With Violence And Obscenity On Television

One of the common signs that you are a highly sensitive person is that you can’t stand violence and obscenity on television and in movies. For instance, seeing such scenes might even cause you to feel nauseous or to have bad nightmares. 

Accordingly, you might prefer to avoid these types of media.

37. Mood Is Affected Easily

Because of their heightened amount of mirror neurons, empathy and depth of processing, the mood of a highly sensitive person is easily affected by external input. 

Their mood can change due to the mood of others around them, scenes from the news, watching a specific movie, listening to certain music and the list goes on. While this is wonderful with regards to positive energy, it can feel like a true curse when encountering negative input. 

Therefore, it is important for highly sensitive people to spend time to properly ground their energy and stand with both feet steady on the ground. This can for example be achieved by protecting your energy. In this blog, we talk about it with regards to toxic people.

And if you are looking for a great way to manage your mood, this book may be a good place to start: ‘The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life’

38. In Extreme Cases: Using Drugs Or Alcohol To Numb Emotions

A highly sensitive person who is not aware of their trait and/or is not able to set healthy boundaries for themselves might feel continuous exhaustion and emotional overload. In extreme cases, some might even find temporary relief in alcohol or drugs. However, this is not the perfect solution, as it affects your physical and mental health deeply. 

If you recognize this behavior within yourself, know that there are other ways to learn how to tackle your daily challenges as a highly sensitive person. After all, you do not want to become addicted to alcohol and/or drugs.

For example, you might want to consider seeing an HSP coach. HSP coach Tiara might be able to help you with your struggles and on Dr. Elaine Aron’s website you can find an extensive overview of other HSP experts across the world. Also on our website, you can discover reputable personal growth experts to help you with your challenges.

39. Crying Easily

One of the common signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you seem to cry more easily compared to less sensitive people.

As you process external input more deeply both bodily and emotionally, an emotional overload might express itself in a good crying session. When you learn how to ground yourself more properly and set healthy boundaries, you will most likely notice that you will cry less in the future.

40. Anxiety

Because highly sensitive people have heightened activity in the part of their brain responsible for fear – the amygdala -, they also might experience more anxiety compared to less sensitive people. Hence, they come across as more careful and sometimes even nervous to other people. 

Experiencing anxiety might be one of the biggest frustrations of being a highly sensitive person. Anxiety in combination with overthinking can greatly affect one’s feeling of happiness. Accordingly, it might be wise to spend time on learning more about your brain and its patterns and how you can prevent certain destructive thought patterns effectively.

If you struggle with anxiety often, this technique might be interesting for you to try out:

41. Being Told That You Are ‘Too Soft’ And Need To Grow A ‘Thicker Skin’

Has someone ever told you that you are being ‘too soft’ and that you need to grow a ‘thicker skin’? That you need to toughen up? 

These are common things that highly sensitive people hear from their parents, relatives or even their partner. They may mean well when they say those things, but for highly sensitive people this can come across as incredibly hurtful.

Their sensitive nature is something that deserves to be seen and that is needed in the world. Hiding away their trait would mean hiding away who they truly are. 

Therefore, please don’t take these comments too serious and embrace your sensitive side.

42. Strong Intuition And Gut Feeling

Highly sensitive people tend to have a strong intuition, because they notice tiny details that others may not. In addition, their depth of processing this input enables them to connect the dots easily. 

A highly sensitive person can oftentimes sense when someone is struggling, even when that person isn’t saying a word about it. 

Do you want to learn how to understand your intuition better? In the book ‘Radical Intuition: A Revolutionary Guide to Using Your Inner Power‘ you will find useful tips.

43. Few Deep Connections With Others

Another typical sign that you are a highly sensitive person is that you may have few truly deep connections with people around you. Due to your depth of processing certain input, you might find it hard to find people who are able to ‘reach that depth’ with you.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you talked enthusiastically about for example the endless possibilities of the Universe and spirituality, and your conversation partner looked at you with empty eyes, wondering how on earth you could think about those things?

This is quite common for highly sensitive people and might even cause them to feel alone. Know that there are many other people out there who experience it just the same way you do. You can connect with them through HSP communities like this one.

44. People-pleaser

Due to their empathic character, highly sensitive people often are people-pleasers. Since they feel the mood of others and don’t want to disrupt their mood by displeasing them, they often go out of their way to please them.

While pleasing others can be a wonderful characteristic, it is important to make sure that you are not being used by the other person. Ensure to set healthy boundaries in relationships and to know when enough is enough.

If people-pleasing is something you struggle with occasionally, this book may be life changing for you: ‘Not Nice: Stop People Pleasing, Staying Silent, & Feeling Guilty… And Start Speaking Up, Saying No, Asking Boldly, And Unapologetically Being Yourself’

45. Feeling Energies

Have you ever found yourself walking into a room and feeling that something was ‘off’ with it? Seconds later, you found out that the people in that room just had a conflict. 

Being able to feel energies in a room or amongst people can be related to your heightened amount of mirror neurons. Because you notice subtle changes in the behaviour if others, feeling these energy shifts comes natural to you.

46. Sensitive To Caffeine

Another typical sign that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you are sensitive to caffeine. This is not strange, as caffeine acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system of our brains.

A study shows that there was a significant increase in amygdala activity when caffeine was combined with a threatening situation. 

Actually, highly sensitive people already happen to have a higher amount of amygdala activity. Therefore, adding caffeine to that surely can’t be good. This explains why many highly sensitive people react strongly when consuming caffeine.

47. Easily Getting Distracted During A Conversation

While you love having deep conversations with others, you might often find yourself distracted during those conversations. Usually, this occurs when there is too much external stimuli going on around you.

Loud noises, crowds of people and strong smells might distract you from your conversation. Therefore, it might be wise to look for calm places when you intend to have a deep conversation with someone (without being distracted all the time).

48. Getting Scared Easily

One of the typical signs that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you easily get scared. Because your amygdala – the part of the brain responsible for fear and the fight-, flight- and freeze reaction – already is more active, being scared by someone pushes it over the top.

49. Performing Worse Under Time Pressure

Highly sensitive people prefer slow living and focusing on one task at a time. Because they are perfectionists and pay close attention to detail, they become very stressed when they don’t have the time to practice those skills.

This in combination with their fear of failure results in great stress within them, which again might limit them in performing as well as usually.

50. Becoming ‘Hangry’ Very Easily

Have you ever found yourself binge eating after a rough day? Do you get ‘hangry’ easily on those days? According to this article, highly sensitive people often experience binge eating and weight gaining. This occurs due to their body’s reaction to negative influences from the environment they find themselves in.

By adding a layer of fat to our body, our body attempts to shield itself as protection against negative circumstances and energies. Hence, the eating. 

Therefore, make sure to eat nutritional food that is good for you if you feel hangry. However, the best solution is to find other ways to protect yourself from negative influences by setting healthy boundaries, taking a step back or avoiding negative influences that don’t serve you or your life.

51. Struggling To Deal With Change

Another common sign that you are a highly sensitive person, is that you struggle to deal with changes. Changes often have a major influence on our daily rhythms and the tendency to bring us out of balance.

As highly sensitive people do their best to remain balanced in a rather fast paced world, that is not suited well towards the needs of an HSP, change can be truly frustrating. However, while you’re trying to prepare yourself the best you can for change, unforeseen situations still happen to occur. 

I remember when we moved to our new, beautiful home and it took me 4 (!) months to truly get used to this change. Although we had planned the move for quite a while and made sure to not stress too much, it still was an incredibly stressful event.

If change is one of your biggest struggles, you may want to have a look at this book: ‘Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age’

52. You Were Labeled As Sensitive Or Shy As A Kid

Highly sensitive people were often labeled as shy or ‘too sensitive’ when they were children. Oftentimes, this shyness simply was a coping mechanism for the highly sensitive child, who most likely was overwhelmed and overstimulated. 

Because many people and especially the older generations weren’t aware of the HSP trait, these were common labels to refer to. Nowadays, the HSP trait is recognized more easily in children and more and more people are learning about the trait. 

53. Struggling To Stay Concentrated

Highly sensitive people might have difficulties to stay concentrated and focused while working. For example, when there are unexpected noises or smells in their environment, chances are likely that they will be distracted by it.

These distractions might annoy them so much that their head feels ‘cluttered’ by it and they might feel a spontaneous need to get rid of the disturbance. First when it is cleared, they can continue to focus.

Are you having serious concentration issues? This book may offer some useful insights: ’10-Minute Focus: 25 Habits for Mastering Your Concentration and Eliminating Distractions’

54. Feeling Like You Don’t Fit In The “9 to 5”-Rhythm Of Society

The standard society truly isn’t made for highly sensitive people. Moreover, the idea to work for 8 hours straight with almost no rest, while preferably performing as many tasks as possible at the same time before a certain deadline, was certainly not created by a highly sensitive person.

Highly sensitive people tend to prefer working hours stretched out throughout the day, so they have enough time to rest in between working sessions and recharge their energy. Thankfully, big companies are acknowledging the benefits of this working structure more and more.

55. You Are Very Sensitive To Pain

Questionnaires have shown that highly sensitive people are more affected by pain than less sensitive people.

Due to them processing external stimuli more intensely, it is logical that also internal stimuli such as pain can affect a highly sensitive person deeply.

56. Worrying about the future and the past

If you find yourself worrying much about the future and the past, this might be one of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person. 

Because you might tend towards overthinking things and processing them deeply, it is logical that worrying about the future and the past are part of it as well.

For the ‘worriers’ amongst you, here’s an interesting video:

57. People Easily Open Up To You

Have you ever found yourself walking in public and suddenly being approached by strangers telling you their entire life story? Actually, this is a common experience for highly sensitive empaths.

People sense the sensitive and empathic nature of an HSP and know that they most likely will be able to receive the support that they need. Hence, this is one of the typical signs that you are a highly sensitive person.

58. Feeling When People Aren’t Telling The Truth Or Hiding Something

Because of the heightened amount of mirror neurons, highly sensitive people are able to read the emotions of others exceptionally well. Hence, they also often have the skill to feel when somebody is lying or hiding something.

They notice the subtle changes in body language and tone of voice, which others might seem to look past.

59. Smelling Things Others Can’t Smell

As a result of their heightened processing of external stimuli, highly sensitive people are more sensitive towards smell. Accordingly, they might notice the tiniest changes in the smell of their surroundings.

While this is a wonderful gift when for example smelling pleasant smells like flower fragrances, this can be truly frustrating. Especially when someone in your surroundings has an unpleasant perfume which others don’t seem to be bothered by.

60. Getting Overwhelmed By Doing Too Many Things At Once

Finally, one of the signs that you are a highly sensitive person is that you easily get overwhelmed when doing too many things at once. 

Because you prefer to pay attention to detail and perhaps even are perfectionistic, doing too many tasks at the same time disables you from practicing those skills. Hence, it can become a rather overwhelming experience to multitask.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Signs of Being Highly Sensitive

How many of these 60 signs do I need to relate to, to be an HSP?

There’s no exact cutoff, but if a large portion feels familiar — especially the sensory-overwhelm and emotional-depth ones — it’s a strong signal worth exploring further.

Is being an HSP a diagnosis or a personality trait?

It’s a personality trait, not a clinical diagnosis. It was first named “Sensory Processing Sensitivity” by psychologist Elaine Aron.

Can you become highly sensitive, or are you born this way?

Research points to it being largely innate, though life experiences can shape how it shows up and how well you manage it.

What’s the difference between being an HSP and just being an introvert?

They’re not the same — an estimated 30% of HSPs are actually extroverted. High sensitivity is about depth of processing, not social preference.

Am I Highly Sensitive?

If you would like to confirm that you are a highly sensitive person after reading this article, you can take the official self test here. 

I hope that you found this extensive list of signs that you are a highly sensitive person useful and that you’ll share it with your friends, family and partner.

Do you think that you are highly sensitive after reading this article? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below!

If a lot of this list feels like reading about yourself, you’re not alone: an estimated 15-20% of people are HSPs. The HiSensitives Growth Tree Bundle is the best place to start exploring what that means for you, with 19 masterclasses and 78+ worksheets across all four growth areas.

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• Am I Highly Sensitive? The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To HSP!
• 5 Tips On How To Create A Solid Personal Growth Plan
• 20 Signs That Indicate That You’re An Empath
• Reconnecting with My Past: The Power of Inner Child Healing
• How The Law Of Attraction Influenced My Career

The post 60 Signs That You Are A Highly Sensitive Person appeared first on HiSensitives.

High sensitivity and giftedness are two different traits that often get confused, because high sensitivity is common among gifted people. Giftedness centers on above-average intelligence, creativity, and motivation, while high sensitivity is about how deeply your nervous system processes stimuli: you can be one, the other, or both. This guide breaks down where they overlap and where they differ. In this article, autism coach Nikki talks about the similarities and differences between being highly sensitive and being highly gifted.

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

Earlier I wrote a guest blog about the differences between high sensitivity and autism, because these two neurodivergencies are often mixed up. Today you will learn more about high sensitivity and being highly gifted, as these traits often are confused with each other as well.

However, that’s not completely strange, as high sensitivity can also be a trait of being gifted. Therefore, in this article, I provide some more information about what being highly gifted entails. You will discover what the differences and the similarities are, so you can distinguish between the two traits.

And while you’re here, make sure to check out our free boundary tracker printable for highly sensitive people!

What Does It Mean to Be Highly Gifted?

There are different definitions of giftedness, but in general professionals use the multi-factor model of Franz Josef Mönks’s. This professor of developmental psychology has added a number of factors to the existing model of the American psychologist Renzulli.

Renzulli stated that giftedness is not so much a trait, but a certain ability that leads to gifted behavior. According to this theory, a person is highly gifted if he has a great amount of creativity, high intelligence (IQ> 130) and a certain motivation.

• High creativity: By creativity people do not only mean “creative” creativity, such as painting, knitting, clay or baking cakes. For many gifted individuals, creativity (also) expresses itself in language and word jokes and in coming up with original solutions to problems. Gifted people can get into discussions with surprising questions and arguments. Their strength is to think outside the box.

• High intelligence: One of the hallmarks of giftedness is high intelligence. An IQ (Intelligence Quotient) of 130 is generally used as a lower limit. Intelligence tests determine the IQ. The average IQ is 100. If you have an IQ of 140, then that score deviates 40 points from the average. In percentage terms, there are as many people with an IQ of 140 as with an IQ of 60.

• High motivation: By this they mean having a great passion, task orientation and the urge to achieve set goals. Gifted people often have an intrinsic motivation to achieve their goals.

How Does Your Environment Shape Whether Giftedness Shows Up?

Mönks added the influence of the environment. The environment partly determines whether the qualities that the person has (highly intelligent, high creativity and high motivation) are also visible in striking performances. He mentions the influence of the family, the school and the circle of friends of the gifted person in its childhood. This influence can be both positive and negative.

Heller expands the story even further in his multi-factor model. He sees “giftedness” as something that is not only about intellectual capacities, but can also be, for example, musical, social or physical gifts. He also says that factors in the person have an influence as well. For example, someone may have great musical talent, but suffer from fear of failure to such an extent that it is not possible to perform in front of an audience.

Being highly gifted appears to be basically innate. There are indications that the nervous system of a gifted person can make new connections more easily and more quickly. Whether the person can also translate these innate qualities into exceptional achievements and whether the person is happy depends on many factors, both in his environment and in himself. A gifted person is “different” from most people in several ways. It is not better or worse, but it is different. That is why the gifted person needs other things to be able to develop optimally.

What Are the Traits of Highly Gifted People?

But how do you know if you are gifted, maybe? Well, you do an IQ test! The result of an IQ test gives many gifted individuals a sense of security or reassurance when it turns out positive. But there are many situations where someone does not perform optimally while taking the IQ test. Somebody might perform worse because they have a fear of failure which makes them do the test less successfully. Therefore, the “negative” result does not necessarily mean that you are not gifted.

Another way is to read into the many traits that gifted people have. You can find many lists of traits online. Gifted people often identify with these lists, but the logic does not necessarily work the other way: recognizing yourself in these lists does not mean that you are gifted.

The traits mentioned are not all actually traits of highly gifted people. A large number of these “traits” are experiences, pitfalls or behaviors that we encounter in the gifted. Many of these are based on the fact that gifted individuals belong to a minority. This list therefore serves as a recognition, not as a “diagnostic” instrument.

I did however, make a list for you. Because I do want you to know what a lot of gifted people have in common, so you can get a broader vision of what it entails to be a gifted individual. I put these traits in different categories (I am a sucker for categorizing things, I am autistic after all). I have three categories listed: sensitivity traits, consciousness traits and traits in relation to intelligence, creativity and perseverance.

#1: Sensitivity Traits

You…

• have always felt different from others.
• have low self-esteem and often low self-confidence.
• are sensitive to (loud) noise, light, crowds, smells and other external stimuli.
• feel easily influenced by the moods of others.
• have perfectionistic traits.
• are intuitive.
• can pick up subtle signals from your environment.
• are easily annoyed or impatient.
• are sensitive to pain.
• need to rest after a day at work to reconnect with yourself.
• are more sensitive than average to the effects of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine.
• feel the emotions of others in your own body.
• usually hate violence.
• can be very moved by the beauty of things, like music.

#2: Consciousness Traits

You…

• often quickly find different solutions to problems.
• are or were an outsider at school.
• participated fairly inconspicuously at school. You got along with everyone, but you didn’t really belong to anything.
• are very loyal.
• can take on the whole world one moment and then lose that feeling the next time.
• are a worrier because you are able to see what may go wrong.
• prefer friends who are older than yourself.
• often have to defend your opinion or ideas or they are ignored.
• sometimes doubt your own ideas because you are the only one who seems to think a certain way.
• are regularly told not to be so difficult or so serious.
• would like to make the world a better place and you are already full of ideas about how that should be done.
• feel that you could achieve more than you have done so far.
• have trouble finding inner peace.
• are very loyal and trustworthy in friendships.
• are afraid to take an intelligence test, because what if you fail and giftedness turns out not to be a part of you.
• sometimes you know things, not knowing why that is the case.
• have extraordinary experiences that you cannot always place or explain.

#3: Intelligence, creativity and perseverance traits

You…

• work best in an independent position.
• set high standards for yourself and others and are very critical.
• have great perseverance when you are working on something that you like or need of yourself.
• often have to repeat something or explain it several times. Others don’t get you.
• have your own way of learning.
• don’t find learning difficult, but the way it is presented has to be appropriate.
• have a very strong sense of justice.
• have a special kind of humor.
• hate repetition.
• can spend hours focused on something if it interests you.
• find parties where you can have a good discussion pleasant.
• often feel bored at parties.
• have a large vocabulary, or you understand a lot, but you use that vocabulary a lot less.
• like the details in a discussion and “pick on” others for irregularities in it.
• have unlimited curiosity.
• feel a hunger for knowledge and information in areas that you find interesting.
• could read early on and you still love to read.
• have a full bookcase.
• work on many cases or projects at the same time.
• sometimes find it difficult to get started because you no longer know how to start.
• procrastinate a lot.
• experience trouble completing projects because your attention already moved on to the following.
• work according to fixed procedures or you have difficulty applying structure.
• work the best prior to a deadline and things usually work out just fine.

What Do Highly Sensitive and Highly Gifted People Have in Common?

As you could see in the list of traits, giftedness and high sensitivity overlap in many ways. But they are not necessarily the same thing. Both gifted people and highly sensitive people perceive the world very intense and consciously. Both groups of people notice certain subtleties and discrepancies around them that the gross of the people around them seem to miss.

Next to that, both highly sensitive people and gifted people are aware of their environment and have an above average sensitivity to atmosphere and stimuli. Consequently, this makes both of them react excessively. The information received by the senses is also experienced more intensely and a deeper processing takes place.

Certainly in new environments they can therefore become overwhelmed by the stimuli that they experience. This can make them struggle with certain social matters, such as parties, and really dread it. They will also notice that they need more charging and recovery time than the people around them, who are less sensitive to stimuli.

What’s also the same in both parties, is that they often have the feeling of “not belonging”. Both highly gifted and highly sensitive people might feel a certain distance between them and other people. I’m not saying this is the case for everybody, but it is noticeable more often in these groups of people.

If you are either highly sensitive or highly gifted, there might me a bigger chance of not finding the right connection with other people. Consequently, this may make you feel rejected and misunderstood. Either of these individuals might have heard that they are “too sensitive”, “too emotional”, of “you worry too much, let it go”. Certainly gifted people are regularly called too critical, too difficult, too stubborn or too know-it-all.

What Are the Differences Between Being Highly Sensitive and Highly Gifted?

But next to these similarities, there are differences too. One of the biggest differences between giftedness and high sensitivity is the above-average potency and intelligence that is present in giftedness. This is the case if there is an IQ score of 130+. Gifted individuals also have a stronger analytical capacity, are faster in their thinking, are often one step ahead of others and are ahead in their development, which may be noticeable even when they are just a child.

Walking, talking or reading earlier than peers is a clear sign of being ahead in development. It also can develop later, but then they are already above their level. Some gifted people even skip developmental phases. For example, they start walking without having had the crawl phase. Being ahead in development, at home and at school, is not always noticeable. This can be the case when the child grew up in an environment that stood in their way, developmental or learning wise.

It might be the case that you now wonder if you are “only” highly sensitive, or that you are highly gifted too. You might wonder how to figure that out. It can be the case that you feel like there is more to you than just being highly sensitive. You feel like there is still an undiscovered part of you and that high sensitivity doesn’t cover the entire load.

If you feel this way, why not figure it out? Read more about it, make an appointment with somebody who can test you, if you’re able to afford that. In the end, it helps you to understand who you are and how you are wired. Therefore, even if you are not able to get the “scientific answer”, look for what works for you.

How Can Highly Gifted People Recognize Their Own High Sensitivity?

Let me first start this by saying that some gifted people might not even recognize their own sensitivities. A lot of them do know they are somewhat sensitive, but they might miss their high sensitivity completely.

When I researched this topic, I read that gifted people often are more ratio-oriented. Which means that they are more “thinkers” and that they tend to “think things out” in their own head. Many gifted people believe that the brain has all the answers, while intuition and emotions play an important role in finding answers.

So, what sensitive, gifted people might miss, is their connection to their own sensitivity. For instance, their ratio could be overdeveloped and the feeling-part less developed. Therefore, it sometimes takes years before gifted individuals understand how highly sensitive they are.

This reinforces when there is or was an unsuitable environment. When you have to adapt a lot because you have few like-minded people around you, it becomes a survival mechanism to close off the feeling aspect. You can no longer use your own intuition. You can also harden towards the outside world and become very black and white in your thinking and in relationships with others. For example, you break friendships abruptly because the other person does not meet your “requirements” or disappoints you in some way.

How Can You Reconnect With Your Intuition?

Key is to get back in touch with your intuition and senses. Learn about who you are as a person, what matters to you and try to ignore your ratio. Try to incorporate some moments during the day to do this. Get back in touch with yourself. Make a habit out of it.

For example, sit down for a moment and try to be aware of your own body. Feel how you are sitting. Try to pay attention to how you feel, next. Do you have an itch? Do you feel your clothing on your skin? How is your stomach feeling? Is it hungry?

Go where your attention goes. What does it tell you? Is it a feeling on a thought of your own?

Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax your shoulders. Take a good stretch. What do you feel now?

You can do this little exercise multiple times during the day. When you are behind your laptop. When you are binging a new show on Netflix. Or when you are in the grocery store. Get out of your head and try to feel. It’ll work wonders for getting back in touch with your senses!

If you’d like to read more about being highly gifted, you may enjoy the book ‘Gifted Grownups: The Mixed Blessings of Extraordinary Potential‘

Frequently Asked Questions about Being Highly Gifted And/Or High Sensitivity

Can you be highly sensitive without being gifted?

Yes, high sensitivity and giftedness are independent traits; most HSPs are not gifted in the clinical sense.

Are all gifted people highly sensitive?

No, but sensitivity shows up often enough in gifted populations that the two get confused regularly.

How do I know if I’m gifted, sensitive, or both?

Giftedness is typically assessed through IQ and creativity/motivation measures, while high sensitivity is identified through trait questionnaires like Elaine Aron’s HSP scale — they measure different things, so it’s worth checking both if you’re unsure.

Does giftedness need to be formally tested, or can you just tell?

Self-recognition can point you in the right direction, but a formal assessment is the only way to confirm giftedness with certainty.

Whether you’re gifted, sensitive, or both, understanding your own wiring is the first step to working with it instead of against it: Self-Awareness and the Highly Sensitive Person is built for exactly that.

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• How To Help People In Your Life Without Being Manipulative
• Highly Sensitive Person and Autism: What is the Difference?
• How To Understand And Listen To Your Intuition
• 4 Powerful Books That Highly Sensitive People Should Read

The post High Sensitivity Versus Being Highly Gifted: The Differences & Similarities appeared first on HiSensitives.

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) and autistic people can look similar on the surface — both often experience sensory overwhelm, deep empathy, and a sense of not fitting in — but they’re different neurotypes. The core differences show up in social communication patterns and repetitive behaviors, which are central to autism but not part of the HSP trait. This guide walks through the overlap and the differences.

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

For at least ten years I thought I was a highly sensitive person, and that’s actually not all that strange, because the media portrays a very narrow image of autism. If you look at some of the more known characters, like Rain Man and Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory, you’d say only white cis males are autistic. Characters like these are often seen as geniuses and non-speakers. 

Autism in real life is completely different from what you usually see. Hence, that’s why a lot of the traits are unknown to people. Moreover, that’s why a lot of people with autism don’t know what exactly it entails and identify as a highly sensitive person. On the other hand, masculine people may think they are autistic, while in fact they are highly sensitive. In this blog I’d like to give some clarification!

What Is Autism?

Autism is a neuro-type that is not easy to describe. While the exact cause isn’t known, we do know that it is a congenital neurobiological development disorder. In short, this means that the information processing in the brain is different than that of other people.

Most people see the world in conjunction, just like one film is a coherent whole of images. Autistics usually see the world as separate photos. Hence, they see less coherence. Consequently, this makes it very difficult for them to understand what is happening around them.

The diagnosis ‘autistic disorder’ – also known as ‘classic autism’ or ‘Kanner’s syndrome’ – is no longer given. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-5, only speaks of one term: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The scientific basis for the earlier autism subtypes were insufficient. People who have had this diagnosis in the past can continue to use them, though.

Not every autistic has the same characteristics and traits. And not only are they different per person, they can also be different from time to time in one person. Moreover, they depend on someone’s mood and the situation they are in. There are, however, symptoms that occur in a large proportion of people with autism. For example, these characteristics and traits can be divided into social and communication limitations, fixed rituals, and difficulty with change.

Are You Secretly Navigating the Challenges of Autism (aka Masking)?

Some people may not be aware yet that they are autistic and are highly skilled at masking. “Unmasking Autism” by Dr. Devon Price is like lifting the veil on a hidden world and talks about this topic.

Ever met someone who seems ‘just like everyone else’ but is secretly navigating the challenges of Autism? This book dives deep into that. Dr. Price combines personal stories with a touch of history and research to give us a peek into the lives of those who ‘mask’ their Autism to fit in.

It’s about the personal battles they fight, especially when things like race or gender come into play. But, this isn’t just a book about struggles. It’s packed with hands-on tips for embracing our unique selves and celebrating what makes us different.

Whether you’re Autistic or not, this book invites everyone to step into a world of understanding and acceptance. A must-read for anyone who believes in celebrating individuality!

Why I Think That Highly Sensitive People Are Neurodivergent

Highly sensitive people and autistic people have some things in common. During my research I found out that a lot of people categorize being a highly sensitive person as a character trait. I personally disagree with that. In my opinion both autism and high sensitivity fall under the neurodiversity term.

Neurodiversity really just means that there are differences between brains. Moreover, there are brains that process information in different ways and use different ways of thinking and learning. For example, the autistic brain is one of them, but ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and Gilles de la Tourette also fall under the neurodiversity umbrella. Therefore, I also consider being a highly sensitive person to also fall under this term, as the brains of HSPs also process information and stimuli in a different way than the “normal” neurotypical brain would. 

What Are the Similarities Between Being an HSP and Being Autistic?

Because autism and high sensitivity both are neurodivergent, they show similarities. These are the similarities between a highly sensitive person and autism:

Extremely Sensitive To External And Internal Stimuli

Both parties know all too well what it is like to experience sensory input from their environment, like (loud) noises or a clothing label that stings in your neck. Moreover, both highly sensitive people and autistics can get overstimulated from their thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Overwhelm

Another similarity is the overwhelming feeling they both get from those stimuli. Both parties can become incredibly overwhelmed by all this input. Hence, this can result in extreme fatigue, shutdowns or panic attacks (if the person hasn’t developed coping mechanisms).

Empathy And Intuition

This is something that a lot of people don’t know because of misinformation in the media. Another trait highly sensitive people and autistic people can have in common is the extreme level of empathy. Autistic people are known for lacking empathy. However, it’s way more common for them to experience too much empathy, just like highly sensitive people do. They also can be very intuitive!  

What Are The Differences Between The Highly Sensitive Person Trait And Autism?

Now that we’ve discussed the similarities, let’s have a look at the differences. There are certain traits that people with autism do have, which highly sensitive people don’t. In order to demonstrate these traits, I applied the DSM-5. To meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD according to the DSM-5, a person must have persistent deficits in each of the criterial areas: 

1. Social communication and interaction (in each of the three areas)
2. Restricted, repetitive behaviors (at least two of four types)

Social Communication And Interaction

In autism, there are deficits in social-emotional reciprocity. This might include an abnormal social approach and/or a failure or normal back-and-forth conversation. Also, there may be deficits in sharing of interests, emotions or failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.

Additionally, there are deficits in nonverbal communication used for social interaction. This may include poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, abnormalities in eye contact and body language. In addition, it may involve troubles with understanding and using gestures and facial expressions.

Another issue in area of social communication and interaction is developing, maintaining and understanding relationships. This might include having difficulties in adjusting behavior in different social settings, to the absence of interest in peers.  

What I have noticed is that most highly sensitive people don’t have as many issues in this field as autistic people do. A highly sensitive person may experience less trouble with connecting to people. Overall, they are social beings and do not experience these problems. In my research I have found that highly sensitive people often find social interaction very rewarding. They thrive on forming strong bonds with people, something that autistic people often find more challenging.

Restricted, Repetitive Behaviors

Another thing that characterizes autism, are the restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests or activities. These are some examples:

• There are stereotyped or repetitive motor movements (like flapping hands, spinning around), use of objects (lining up toys or flipping objects) or speech (echolalia or idiosyncratic phrases).
• Insistence of sameness. This means autistic people are inflexible in their routines, they have ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (extreme distress at small changes), trouble with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals or samefooding.
• Fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus. 
• Hyper – or hyporeactivity to sensory input or an unusual interest in sensory aspect of their environment. This might look like excessive smelling or touching or things, or an occupation with lights or movement. Some autistic people might not notice pain. 

As you can see, this demonstrates the differences between the highly sensitive person trait and autism. Most highly sensitive people are not as rigid as autistic people are. They are often way more flexible and are struggling less with major changes compared to people with autism. If you do recognize any of the other behaviors listed above, it might be that you are not a highly sensitive, but autistic. 

Am I Autistic?

It could be the case that, after reading this blog, you recognize yourself in the autistic traits. It could be that you thought you were a highly sensitive person and that could still be the case! However, if you experience challenges in daily life with overstimulation, problems in social interactions and have troubles with communicating, you may want to look into autism. As I said earlier, a lot of people are overlooked because they don’t fit the one-sighted view of autism. 

It might be the case that you are feeling scared or worried after reading this. I want to let you know that you don’t have to be scared. I know that the society we currently live in often sees autism as a negative thing. Being a highly sensitive person is also oftentimes looked at as something negative, because we live in a society that doesn’t value us sensitive people. Neurotypicals oftentimes see sensitivity as something to be ashamed of, as a weakness. But I want you to know that that’s not the truth.

If you think that you might be autistic, you might want to check out the Amazon bestselling book ‘I Think I Might Be Autistic: A Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Self-Discovery for Adults’.

And if you think that you’re a highly sensitive person, but you’re not sure, you should definitely check out the book ‘The Highly Sensitive: How to Find Inner Peace, Develop Your Gifts, and Thrive’.

We Need Sensitive Souls In This World

Please know that if you have the highly sensitive person – or autism trait, you have many strengths to bring to the table. You are probably very loyal and honest. Moreover, you are empathetic and intuitive. Also, you are creative and you are good at thinking outside the box. You view the world in such a beautiful way. Additionally, you have such specific knowledge and expertise. Finally, you’re an observer and have a good eye for detail. Embrace it. Cherish it. It makes you who you are and you’re allowed to be proud of that.

Shed the expectations of the world. The world is busy, crowded, hectic and the pressure is always on. If you’re autistic or a highly sensitive person, please know that it’s okay to follow your own pace. Your own path. It’s okay. It’s why you are here. I promise. 

Frequently Asked Questions About the Highly Sensitive Person And Autism

Can you be both autistic and a highly sensitive person?

Yes, the two aren’t mutually exclusive, and many autistic people also identify as highly sensitive.

Is high sensitivity a form of autism?

No, they’re distinct, though overlapping, neurotypes. High sensitivity isn’t a diagnosis and doesn’t involve the social-communication or repetitive-behavior patterns core to autism.

What’s the biggest giveaway that it’s autism and not just high sensitivity?

Persistent differences in social communication and a strong need for routine or repetitive behaviors are more specific to autism than to high sensitivity alone.

Should I get an autism assessment if I relate to a lot of these traits?

If the traits are significantly affecting your daily life or relationships, a professional assessment can offer clarity that self-reflection alone can’t.

If reading this left you with more questions about your own wiring than answers, Self-Awareness and the Highly Sensitive Person is a good starting point, or explore more broadly with the HiSensitives Growth Tree Bundle. And if what you’re noticing sounds like it could be autism specifically, a professional assessment is the right next step, this guide and any course are educational, not diagnostic.

Additional Literature on Autism and the Highly Sensitive Person

If you’d like to discover the topic autism more, here are some books I recommend you to read:

Neuro tribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity – Steve Silberman

“NeuroTribes” by Steve Silberman is an enlightening read that delves into the complex history of autism, offering a comprehensive narrative from its earliest research to the modern understanding of neurodiversity. This groundbreaking book challenges conventional views, presenting autism not just as a disability but as a natural and valuable variation of the human genome. Silberman’s compelling exploration into the evolution of autism diagnoses and the concept of neurodiversity is a vital contribution that reshapes our understanding of cognitive differences in society.

The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism – Naoki Higashida

“The Reason I Jump” by Naoki Higashida offers a profound, intimate glimpse into the autistic mind. Written by a thirteen-year-old boy with autism, this unique memoir reveals how he perceives and interacts with the world in ways that are both enlightening and inspiring. Through his honest and heartfelt narrative, constructed using an alphabet grid, Naoki answers questions about autism with deep insight, changing the way readers view not just autism, but life itself. This book is a transformative read, providing a rare and valuable perspective on the experiences of those with autism.

Loud hands: Autistic People, Speaking – Julia Bascom

“Loud Hands: Autistic People, Speaking” is a compelling anthology of essays by Autistic individuals, offering a rich tapestry of the lived experiences and perspectives within the Autistic community. This collection, ranging from the early days of the Neurodiversity movement to contemporary blog posts, serves as both a historical document and a deeply personal account of Autism. It provides invaluable insights, preserving and showcasing the diversity and core principles of the Autistic community in their own words.

But you don’t look autistic at all – Bianca Toeps

In her insightful book, Bianca Toeps offers a candid and often humorous exploration of life with autism, moving beyond stereotypes to the reality of daily experiences. She combines scientific perspectives with personal narratives and interviews, providing a well-rounded view of autism. Toeps’ engaging style addresses common misconceptions and offers practical advice, particularly for non-autistic people, on how to interact respectfully and effectively with autistic individuals. This book is an eye-opening read, challenging preconceived notions and deepening the understanding of autism.

Divergent mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn’t Designed for You – Jenara Nerenberg 

“Divergent Mind” by Jenara Nerenberg is a groundbreaking exploration of neurodivergent women, delving into why traits like ADHD, autism, and high sensitivity are often overlooked in women. Nerenberg, a journalist with personal experience, uncovers the rich diversity of mental makeups, highlighting the systemic flaws in diagnosis and societal attitudes. This insightful book offers a new perspective on neurodiversity, celebrates the unique strengths of neurodivergent minds, and provides practical guidance for a more inclusive society that values and supports these differences.

The Highly Sensitive: How to Find Inner Peace, Develop Your Gifts, and Thrive – Judy Dyer

This insightful guide for Highly Sensitive People (HSP) offers practical strategies to navigate a world that often feels overwhelming. It delves into understanding the nuances of being an HSP, managing emotional overload, and turning high sensitivity into a strength rather than a setback. The book is a valuable resource for HSPs seeking to establish healthy boundaries, protect themselves from negative energy, and embrace their unique qualities to lead a fulfilling life. It empowers HSPs to recognize their potential and harness their sensitivity as a gift.

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• Empathy And Autism: Can They Really Coexist?
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• How To Spend Less Time On Your Phone In 5 Steps

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Empaths and highly sensitive people (HSPs) overlap but aren’t the same thing. An empath absorbs and feels other people’s emotions as if they were their own, while an HSP has a nervous system that processes all sensory input more deeply — sound, light, emotion, and more. Many people are both, but knowing which traits are which helps you pick the coping strategies that actually match your triggers.

If you’ve ever felt deeply affected by the emotions of others, or overwhelmed by sensory input, you might wonder whether you’re an empath or an HSP. Let’s dive into the differences, and how knowing your type can guide your personal growth.

And while you’re here, make sure to check out our free boundary tracker printable for highly sensitive people!

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

What Is an Empath?

Empaths are individuals who have an exceptional ability to sense and absorb the emotions and energies of those around them. This goes beyond simply understanding or feeling empathy for others; empaths actually feel others’ emotions as if they were their own. This trait can be both a blessing and a challenge. On the one hand, empaths can offer deep compassion and support to those in need. On the other hand, they can become overwhelmed by the intense emotions they absorb, leading to emotional burnout.

Empaths often find themselves drawn to helping professions such as counseling, nursing, or teaching, where their ability to connect deeply with others is highly valued. However, because they take on so much emotional energy from others, empaths need to be particularly mindful of setting boundaries and practicing self-care. Techniques such as grounding exercises, energy protection strategies, and regular alone time can help empaths maintain their own emotional balance.

What Is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) are individuals who have a heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, emotional cues, and subtleties in their environment. This trait is part of a spectrum of sensory processing sensitivity, and it is believed to be present in about 15-20% of the population. HSPs process information more deeply than others, which can make them more perceptive and insightful. However, this deep processing can also lead to feeling overwhelmed by bright lights, loud noises, strong smells, and even the energy of crowded places.

HSPs often excel in creative fields, where their attention to detail and ability to notice subtleties are great assets. They might find fulfillment in careers such as writing, art, music, or research. To manage their heightened sensitivity, HSPs benefit from creating calm and orderly environments, setting aside time for solitude, and engaging in practices that promote relaxation, such as mindfulness and meditation.

What Are the Main Differences Between an Empath and an HSP?

While the empath and HSP share the common trait of heightened sensitivity, their experiences and challenges can differ significantly:

1. Emotional Absorption vs. Sensory Sensitivity: Empaths are primarily affected by the emotions and energies of others. They absorb these emotions, which can lead to emotional exhaustion if not managed properly. HSPs, on the other hand, are more affected by sensory input and environmental factors. They might find certain textures, sounds, or lights particularly overwhelming.
2. Energy Impact: Empaths can pick up on both positive and negative energies, which can drastically affect their mood and well-being. They need to regularly cleanse their energy to avoid feeling drained. HSPs, while also affected by energy, are more likely to be overwhelmed by sensory overload rather than emotional absorption.
3. Coping Strategies: Empaths often need to develop specific coping strategies to manage the emotional energy they absorb, such as energy shielding or grounding techniques. HSPs benefit more from managing their sensory environment, ensuring they have quiet, calm spaces to retreat to when needed.

Empath vs. HSP Test: How Do You Know If You’re an Empath or an HSP?

If you’re unsure whether you’re an empath or an HSP, taking a test can provide some clarity. The checklists below are created to help you understand your level of empathy and sensory sensitivity. While these tests can offer useful insights, remember that they are just a starting point. Self-reflection and personal experience are crucial in understanding your unique sensitivity. Consider keeping a journal to track your responses to different situations and stimuli. Over time, patterns may emerge that help you determine whether you’re more aligned with the traits of an empath or an HSP.

Do the empathy vs. HSP test by counting the amount of statements that apply to you below.

Empath Checklist

Wondering if you’re an empath? Have a look at how many characteristics you identify with:

HSP checklist

Wondering if you’re a highly sensitive person? Use this checklist as a starting point:

Scoring of These Lists

Count the number of statements you checked in each list:

• Empath Checklist: If you checked 8 or more statements, you are likely an empath.
• HSP Checklist: If you checked 8 or more statements, you are likely a highly sensitive person (HSP).

If you checked a high number of statements in both lists, you might be both an empath and an HSP, sharing traits from each category. Understanding these aspects of yourself can help you develop tailored strategies for self-care and personal growth. Embrace your sensitivity as a strength and use it to enhance your life and the lives of those around you.

Why Does It Matter Whether You’re an Empath or an HSP?

Understanding whether you’re an empath or an HSP can significantly impact your approach to personal growth and self-care. Each trait comes with its own set of strengths and challenges, and knowing where you fall can help you tailor strategies to your specific needs.

For empaths, focusing on energy management is crucial. Techniques such as grounding exercises, energy protection methods, and regular self-care routines can help you maintain your emotional health. It’s also important to learn how to set healthy boundaries with others to prevent emotional overload.

For HSPs, creating a sensory-friendly environment is key. This might include using noise-canceling headphones, ensuring your living space is calm and orderly, and practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation. Prioritizing time alone to recharge and reflect is also beneficial.

How Can You Embrace Being an Empath or an HSP?

Whether you identify as an empath or an HSP, embracing your sensitivity is essential. These traits are not weaknesses; rather, they are unique aspects of your personality that can lead to profound empathy, creativity, and insight. By understanding and honoring your sensitivity, you can leverage it to enhance your personal growth and live a more fulfilling life.

In conclusion, while empaths and HSPs share some similarities, they are distinct in how they experience and process the world around them. By recognizing and embracing your unique sensitivity, you can develop effective strategies to manage overwhelm and thrive. Remember, your sensitivity is a gift that, when nurtured and understood, can lead to deep connections, rich creativity, and a truly meaningful life.

Frequently Asked Questions About Empaths and HSPs

Below, we’ve answered some of the most commonly asked questions about empaths and HSPs:

Can you be both an empath and an HSP?

Yes — the two traits overlap significantly, and many people identify with both. Being an HSP describes how your nervous system processes sensory input in general; being an empath describes a more specific tendency to absorb others’ emotions.

Is being an HSP the same as being introverted?

No. High sensitivity is about depth of processing, not social preference — plenty of HSPs are extroverted.

Which is more common, empaths or HSPs?

HSPs are the more formally studied group, estimated at 15-20% of the population by psychologist Elaine Aron’s research. “Empath” isn’t a clinical category, so there’s no equivalent prevalence data, though many HSPs also identify as empaths.

Can you be an empath without being an HSP?

Yes, though it’s less common — the two traits are closely related but describe slightly different mechanisms (emotional absorption vs. general sensory depth).

The post Empath vs. HSP: What Is the Difference? appeared first on HiSensitives.

The symbol for highly sensitive people was hand-drawn by HiSensitives co-founder Anne-Kathrin van Tiggelen after she found no existing symbol for the trait. It blends the letters H, S, and P into one design, with a dot at the base of the P that represents the trait as part of one’s identity — some in the HSP community also read it as an exclamation mark, celebrating the trait. Below is the full story behind the symbol and how it’s been used since.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

I am so glad to see that you’re here on this page, reading more about the symbol for highly sensitive people.

Perhaps you just found out that you are an HSP or you may be looking for a way to express your trait.

If that is the case, welcome!

In this blog, I’ll share more about why I came up with the idea to draw a symbol for highly sensitive people.

Also, you’ll discover more about the meaning behind it and what has happened ever since I shared the symbol.

Why I Drew A Symbol For Highly Sensitive People

In 2018, I decided the time was ripe to get a tattoo. For years, the idea of getting one played in my head, but I did not know what to put on my body. After I knew for a few years that I am a HSP, i decided to get a tattoo that represents this trait. Ideally, I wanted a symbol that stands for highly sensitive people. I searched the entire internet, but could not find any. At that moment, I decided that I could draw one myself.

I took out my notebook and started to experiment with potential shapes. I experienced it as a fun process and actually quite exciting to design my own tattoo! Eventually, after a lot of trial and error (see picture to the right), I managed to finish the symbol.

The Next Steps

After I designed the sign, I was curious to hear what other highly sensitive people thought of it. Therefore, I did share it in one of the Facebook groups for HSP’s that I am part of. The feedback that I got there, was overwhelming.

Love it’s simplicity yet beauty. Gorgeous idea! HSP creativity strikes again!!! – One of the members of the group

It seemed like almost everyone loved the symbol, and I got so much feedback on how to improve the design! Some loved it just the way it was, some wanted it to look more extensive, but in the end, it felt like the overall feedback was mainly positive.

I love it and see the H, S & P. I also see the ‘i’ as an exclamation mark, a joyous exclamation and celebration of who we are! – One of the members of the group

Ultimately, almost 400 members liked my post and almost 90 commented upon the topic. I felt amazed by the enthusiasm of everyone. It actually motivated me to start this brand together with Riny. This positivity was just what we needed to start HiSensitives!

The Meaning Of The Symbol For Highly Sensitive People

As you can see, I included both the letters ‘H’, ‘S’ and ‘P’ in the symbol. Obviously, this stands for highly sensitive person. In addition, I added a dot at the bottom of the ‘P’. For me, it is a turned around ‘I’, which means that the trait is a part of my identity. Some of the highly sensitive people who gave feedback saw it as an exclamation mark. They saw it as a celebration of the trait, which in my opinion is a beautiful interpretation.

The symbol stands for acceptance and identification with the personality trait. Moreover, it aims to connect people with the trait and bring them together. When I designed it, I felt inspired by symbols such as the peace sign or the breast cancer awareness symbol. I wanted to create something similar for HSP’s. Many people still don’t know of the trait, and I hope that this symbol can help to create more awareness.

What Happened After I Shared The Symbol?

The response that I got after designing the symbol, was overwhelming. In fact, a few days after I shared it, somebody got a tattoo of my drawing! The feeling that somebody uses your artwork on their body, is amazing. I thought that I would be the only one to get it inked on my body, but I am glad to see that this symbol reasonates with more people.

In September this year, I also got a tattoo of it. My tattoo artist Ad, from Rising Sun Tattoo, gave my symbol a more feminine touch. It turned out like this:

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Anne-Kathrin Walter (@i.am.anne.kathrin)

My mother made a beautiful painting of my work, and my parents-in-law gave me a necklace of it. I am amazed by their support, but more astonished by how the symbol for highly sensitive people is implementable into other artwork than tattoos as well:

And Now…?

After designing the symbol in 2018 I felt inspired to do more for the community.

I wanted to be able to inspire highly sensitive people to embrace their trait and see it as a gift, rather than a curse.

Hence, my husband Riny and I founded HiSensitives – which is a personal growth platform for highly sensitive people and empaths.

For years, we’ve been sharing valuable articles on the topic personal growth with our readership, and now it is time for the next steps!

That is why we’ve collaborated with certified experts and created personal growth courses for highly sensitive people with powerful masterclasses, e-books and practical worksheets. Feel free to explore all courses here!

Learn More About the Story Behind the HSP Symbol

The HSP symbol inspired me every day to embrace my sensitivity and work with it, instead of against it.

Let’s hope that in time, more people will see it and feel the same way about it that I do.

Maybe, this symbol ultimately will increase awareness about the trait and hopefully also acceptance of sensitivity.

We will see what the future brings. I am excited. How about you?

We are curious to receive even more feedback upon this new symbol! What do you think of it? 

Make sure to check out our HSP mug and HSP tote bag with the symbol on it!

If you’d like to hear more about how I designed this symbol for highly sensitive people and why, feel free to watch this interview with HSP coach Tiara from HSPeace coaching.

Would you like to use the HSP symbol for a commercial purpose? Please contact us to discuss the opportunities for a collaboration.

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• The HSP Symbol | A Meaningful Piece Of Art For The Highly Sensitive
• The Ultimate Guide To Happiness For Empaths
• HSP Symbol Necklace
• 4 Powerful Books That Highly Sensitive People Should Read

The post The HSP Symbol: What It Means & Why It Was Created appeared first on HiSensitives.

There is something that happens when a sensitive person gets it wrong.

Not just the ordinary discomfort of a mistake. Something more specific than that. The words someone said, or the look on their face, or the silence that followed, lodge somewhere deep and stay there. Long after the moment has passed. Long after the other person has likely forgotten it. And long after any reasonable accounting would say: you can put that down now.

Sensitive people often can’t.

And for a long time, many of us don’t understand why. We assume we’re too fragile. Too much. Not built for a world that seems to move on from things more easily than we do. That assumption is itself a form of shame, layered on top of whatever started it.

What’s actually happening is something worth understanding, because understanding it is the beginning of changing it.

Why Shame Lands Differently for Sensitive People

Highly sensitive people feel things with more intensity than most. That’s not a flaw. It’s a genuine neurological difference, the way certain people are wired to process the world more deeply, to notice more, to feel the texture of experience in ways others move through without registering.

That same capacity that makes sensitive people deeply empathetic, perceptive, and attuned also means that painful experiences land harder. When someone expresses disappointment, a sensitive person doesn’t just note it. They absorb it. When a relationship frays, a sensitive person doesn’t just observe the distance. They feel it throughout.

Shame, in particular, has a way of finding the sensitive nervous system and making itself at home.

Most people experience shame as a response to something specific: an action, a failure, a moment of falling short. They feel it, they process it, and over time, it fades.

For many sensitive people, shame doesn’t stay attached to the specific event. It generalizes. It becomes a quiet background belief rather than a named, bounded experience. It stops being something that happened and starts being something that’s true about you.

That shift is the one worth watching for. Because once shame becomes identity, it’s much harder to see clearly, let alone set down.

The Way It Gets In

Sensitive people are acutely aware of the emotional states of the people around them. They read rooms, pick up on unspoken tension, register the slight shift in someone’s tone before anyone else notices anything has changed.

This attunement is one of the great gifts of a sensitive nature. It’s also the door through which a lot of shame enters.

Because when you are that tuned in to the people around you, their disappointment feels like information about you. Their frustration feels like evidence. Their withdrawal feels like a verdict. You absorb not just what they say but what they feel, and when what they feel is something negative, it’s very easy for a sensitive person to conclude that they are the cause, and therefore the problem.

Most of the time, that’s not what’s happening. But the internal experience is so vivid and so immediate that it’s hard to question in the moment.

Over time, this builds. Not dramatically. Quietly. Each absorbed moment adding one more layer to a belief that was never quite examined: that something is fundamentally off, wrong, or too much about who you are.

What It Takes to Set It Down

Here is the thing nobody tells sensitive people when they’re trying to work through shame: the usual advice doesn’t quite fit.

Most guidance about releasing shame involves looking at it clearly, naming it, recognizing it as a response to something external rather than a truth about who you are. And that’s right. That process matters.

But for sensitive people, it needs to move more slowly and with far more gentleness than most frameworks suggest. Because the same depth of processing that allowed shame to settle in so thoroughly is also present when you’re trying to move it. Sensitive people don’t skim the surface of this work. They go all the way down into it, and that requires more time, more care, and more self-compassion than the process usually gets.

The gentleness is not optional. It’s the point.

What I’ve found, in my own experience and in the conversations I have with people doing this work, is that shame loses its grip most reliably when you stop trying to force it out and start getting curious about where it came from.

Not to excuse what happened or to explain it away. To separate it. To begin distinguishing between what was done or said or withheld, and what that actually means about you.

You absorbed something that wasn’t yours to carry. That’s not weakness. That’s what happens when you feel everything this thoroughly. It means you were taking in the world the way you were made to, and some of what came in was painful.

The work is learning to hand back what was never yours to keep.

A Different Kind of Brave

For sensitive people, this work asks something specific.

It asks you to stop treating your sensitivity as the reason you got hurt, and start recognizing it as the reason you noticed things others might have missed, felt things others moved past, and cared in ways that went deeper than most people allow themselves to go.

That depth is not a liability. It’s the thing that makes you capable of the very work you’re doing right now.

Setting down shame doesn’t mean becoming less sensitive. It means coming back to your sensitivity without the weight of everything you were never supposed to be carrying.

That is some of the bravest work I know.

If you’re in the middle of it, I want you to know: the fact that it’s taking time doesn’t mean it isn’t working. The fact that it’s hard doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Sensitive people do this work thoroughly. Slowly. And with a depth of honesty that most people never reach.

That’s not something to be ashamed of. That’s something to be moved by.

If this landed somewhere real for you, I’d love for you to find me over on Bravery in Motion, conversations with real people about the hard work of living fully and finding their way back to themselves. Subscribe on YouTube or visit melissaawoods.com.

The post Why Sensitive People Carry Shame Differently (And What It Takes to Put It Down) appeared first on HiSensitives.

Home » Highly Sensitive Person

Discover the art of crafting the perfect Boo Basket tailored for highly sensitive individuals. Dive into thoughtful gifting tips that resonate with the HSP’s unique nature and create heartwarming memories this season.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Hey there, dear reader! Ever heard of a “Boo Basket”?

Well, let me tell you, it’s a little bundle of joy you never knew you needed.

Imagine a basket brimming with tiny treasures, each picked out with love. It’s like getting a hug, but in gift form!

For those of us who are highly sensitive, every gesture means a world.

That’s why, when it comes to gifting, a thoughtful touch can truly light up our day.

So, why not dive in and discover how to craft the perfect Boo Basket for the sensitive souls in your life? Let’s get started! 🎁✨

Just a little heads up: some of the links in this blog are affiliate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

We only recommend products and services we genuinely believe in and have personally used or researched. Your support through these links helps us keep bringing you valuable content, so thank you for being amazing!

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Here’s What You’ll Discover:

• What is a Boo Basket?
• Understanding the Highly Sensitive Person (A Quick Refresher)
• The Heart of the Basket: Personal Touches for the HSP
  • Aromatic Delights:
  • Calming Textures
  • Personal Growth & Self-care
• Delightful Extras to Make the Basket Special
  • Nature’s Calm
  • Comforting Treats
  • Ambient Touches
• Halloween Items to Add to a Highly Sensitive Person’s Boo Basket
• Assembling the Basket with Care
• Crafting a Thoughtful Note
• Gifting the Boo Basket
• Some Final Remarks

What is a Boo Basket?

Alright, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: What exactly is a Boo Basket?

Think of it as a personalized care package, sprinkled with a dash of Halloween magic.

It’s a delightful little concoction of gifts and goodies, tailored to the recipient’s taste.

Whether it’s filled with scented candles, soft cozy socks, or their favorite treats, the goal is simple – to spread warmth and happiness.

Kind of like a Halloween version of Secret Santa, but with a sprinkle of ghostly charm!

And the best part? It’s not just for kids. Anyone can enjoy the thoughtful charm of a Boo Basket. 🎃🍂

Not a fan of Halloween? Make it a fall basket instead!

Understanding the Highly Sensitive Person (A Quick Refresher)

Before we dive into the magic of Boo Baskets for our HSP friends, let’s do a quick refresher on the Highly Sensitive Person, shall we?

Imagine soaking in the world around you with all senses turned up to 11!

That’s an HSP for you: someone with keen senses, who feels emotions deeply and often needs a moment (or several) of introspection.

Their heightened awareness makes them cherish even the smallest gestures.

Now, imagine tailoring a Boo Basket with this in mind.

It isn’t just about the goodies inside; it’s about understanding, validating, and celebrating their unique experience.

Crafting a Boo Basket with a sprinkle of sensitivity?

Now that’s a recipe for some heartwarming Halloween magic! 🍁🎃🌙

The Heart of the Basket: Personal Touches for the HSP

When creating a Boo Basket for the highly sensitive soul in your life, it’s all about those thoughtful touches that speak directly to their heart.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Aromatic Delights:

Ever noticed how certain scents can instantly transport you to a place of calm?

For the HSP, this experience is magnified.

Consider adding gentle, calming aromas like lavender or chamomile.

For instance, a beautifully crafted candle can set a serene mood, while a dainty sachet can bring a hint of tranquility to their space.

And let’s not forget essential oils, a few drops in a diffuser or on a wrist, and voilà, instant relaxation.

Here are some of our favorite aromatic delights for your boo basket:

HSP favorite

Calming lavender essential oil for relaxation

• Soothes your highly sensitive nervous system and anxiety
• Use it for meditation or before sleep

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Home coziness guaranteed

Cozy candle that brings the smell of fall into your home

• Uses non-toxic ingredients
• Smells like fall leaves, perfect for HSPs who love nature!

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Calming Textures

Touch is such a profound sense, especially for our HSP friends.

Why not indulge them with some tactile delights?

Think of the cozy embrace of fuzzy socks on a chilly autumn evening.

Or the comfort of a soft plush toy they can hug.

And for a chic touch, how about a velvet scrunchie?

It’s not just an accessory; it’s a gentle caress for their hair.

These items perfectly fit the need for calming textures in a highly sensitive person’s boo basket:

Perfect for a night at home

Super cozy cloud socks

• Sleep longer, deeper and better
• Comes in a charming cotton bag: perfect for your boo basket!
• Ideal for people with sensitive skin

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My personal favorite

Heated blanket for cold days

• Heated blanket that keeps you warm
• Perfect for cold days
• Save energy costs by using the blanket instead of high heating costs in your home

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Cute fall fashion

Soft fall scrunchies

• Excellent stretch that is gentle on your hair
• Available in 12 colors
• Comfortable to touch

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Amazon bestseller

Emotional support lattes

• Funny and cute
• Perfect for coffee lovers
• The perfect comfort buddy

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Personal Growth & Self-care

Diving deep into introspection and self-growth is second nature to the HSP.

Make their journey even more enriching with some personal growth goodies.

For example, a set of affirmation cards can be the perfect daily boost of positivity.

A prompted journal provides a safe space for their thoughts and feelings.

With each prompt, you’re gifting them a moment to connect with their innermost self.

Here are some of our favourite personal growth picks for a highly sensitive person’s boo basket:

Affirmations with a twist

Boo basket-themed affirmation cards

• 60 ghost cards to light up your day
• Perfect for all ages
• Reduce anxiety and bring a smile!

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Fall favorite

Spooky cute self-care journal

• With spooky affirmations
• Use the journaling prompts to reflect
• Self-care menus with a twist of magic

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Delightful Extras to Make the Basket Special

Every gift has its staple items, but it’s often the extras that make it unforgettable.

When curating a Boo Basket for an HSP, these delightful additions can elevate your gift from sweet to absolutely heartwarming:

Nature’s Calm

There’s an undeniable serenity that comes from connecting with nature, and for the HSP, this bond is even more profound.

Why not sprinkle a touch of nature’s magic into your Boo Basket?

Add a bundle of dried flowers for a delicate whiff of the outdoors.

Also, mini succulents can offer a refreshing touch of green that requires minimal care.

Gifting them in a cute pot will make your boo basket look extra special!

And for those drawn to the energies of the Earth, a beautiful crystal can be both a decorative and grounding element.

For instance, add these Amazon bestsellers to your boo basket:

Cozy autumn home decor

Eucalyptus stems for a cozy fall interior

• Realistic appearance
• Brings the fall into your home

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Cute and cozy

Small reading ghost planters for succulents

• Cute home decor for book lovers
• Simply add succulents for the finishing touch

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Fall favorite

Moss agate bracelet for inner peace this fall

• Fosters emotional balance
• Enhances creativity
• Connects the wearer to the calming and grounding energy of nature

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Crystal for the fall

Hessonite Garnet bracelet to embrace the fall energy

• Helps you appreciate life’s cyclical nature
• Let go of what no longer serves you
• Make space for new beginnings

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Comforting Treats

There’s something about savoring a treat that feels like a hug for the soul.

Consider adding a selection of herbal teas, a calming blend to warm their spirit as the days get cooler.

Moreover, a piece of rich dark chocolate can be a melt-in-the-mouth experience of pure bliss.

And if you’re feeling particularly crafty, homemade cookies add a touch of nostalgia and love.

After all, who can resist the charm of a freshly baked treat?

Why not surprise the highly sensitive person with these comforting treats in their boo baskets:

Yummy boo basket

Autumn tea blends for the highly sensitive tea lover

• Comes in small tins: perfect for your boo basket
• 3 delicious flavors: hibiscus cranberry, hot apple cider and pumpkin spice

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Amazon bestseller

Dark chocolate pumpkins for a sweet treat

• Wrapped in cute pumpkin-decorated foils
• Goes perfectly with tea or coffee

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Ambient Touches

Setting the mood can be transformative for an HSP’s space.

Imagine the soft glow of fairy lights, turning their room into a magical haven.

Or an autumn-themed bookmark that not only holds the page but also brings a seasonal touch to their reading moments.

And for the aural enthusiast, consider adding a soundscape CD or QR code link to a playlist: the gentle rustle of leaves, a soft rainfall, or soothing forest sounds can transport them to their favorite nature spots.

Book lover favorite

Boo basket book marker

• Perfect for book lovers
• With a fun spooky touch

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Fall home decor gift

Cute maple leaf fairy lights

• Fall-themed fairy lights with maple leaves
• Adds coziness and warmth to your home

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Halloween Items to Add to a Highly Sensitive Person’s Boo Basket

Sprinkling a little Halloween magic into your Boo Basket for the highly sensitive soul can be both delightful and attuned to their unique preferences.

Consider adding a soft, pumpkin-shaped plush for a gentle squeeze or a hand-painted pebble with an endearing ghostly face for a touch of whimsy.

Moreover, glowing LED candles can mimic the soft, flickering essence of jack-o’-lanterns without overwhelming senses.

A set of watercolor pencils alongside a Halloween-themed adult coloring book can offer a relaxing escape into a world of witches, ghouls, and autumnal landscapes, allowing the HSP to engage in some peaceful creative expression.

For a playful yet comfortable addition, consider including a soft pirate-themed headscarf, animal ears, or a delicate angel halo—simple accessories that let them dress up without the fuss of a full costume.

Remember, it’s all about blending the playful spirit of Halloween with the gentle care an HSP treasures.

For creative souls

Cozy girl season coloring book

• Perfect for creative HSPs
• Autumn- and winter-themed!

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Creative addition

80 color markers for coloring

• Goes perfect with your coloring book gift
• Comfortable coloring experience

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Assembling the Basket with Care

Putting together a Boo Basket is an art, especially for an HSP whose senses come alive with the smallest details.

Start with a visual harmony: arrange items by size, with taller pieces at the back and smaller treasures up front.

Choose calming colors, perhaps muted autumn hues, to create a visually soothing experience.

When selecting the basket itself, consider materials that are not only eco-friendly but also pleasing to touch.

Think soft, woven fabrics or smooth, recycled paper.

The tactile experience can be just as meaningful as the visual.

Remember, it’s the gentle touch in assembling that shows how much you care.

Cute and simple

Minimalistic boo basket

• Perfect for Halloween
• Comes with handles, which makes it a nice addition to your fall decor

Buy Now

For big boo baskets

Chic boo basket

• Perfect if you want to create a big boo basket
• Pretty interior item all year round

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Crafting a Thoughtful Note

At the core of every gift is the intention behind it, and nothing communicates that better than a handwritten note.

For the HSP, words carry weight.

They seek depth, authenticity, and a touch of personal connection.

So, when penning down your message, think about what you truly appreciate about them.

Maybe mention a cherished memory or acknowledge their unique qualities.

Keep it genuine and from the heart, tapping into the language of emotion and introspection.

A note might seem simple, but for a highly sensitive individual, it often becomes the most cherished part of the gift.

It’s a tangible reminder that they’re seen, valued, and understood.

Gifting the Boo Basket

Now comes the moment of gifting, and here’s where your thoughtfulness truly shines.

Consider how the recipient might best receive the Boo Basket.

For some HSPs, a personal handover can be heartwarming, as it offers a chance for genuine connection and appreciation.

On the flip side, others might prefer the surprise of finding it at their doorstep.

The key lies in understanding their comfort level and respecting their boundaries.

Remember, the purpose of this gift is to make them feel special and understood, so your choice should align with what would make them most comfortable and cherished.

It’s all about creating an experience tailored to their sensitive soul.

Some Final Remarks

Gifting is more than just the exchange of objects; it’s the exchange of sentiments, memories, and heartbeats.

Especially when tailored for the highly sensitive soul, a thoughtful Boo Basket goes beyond its contents—it becomes a vessel of understanding, care, and deep connection.

As the season unfolds, we invite you to indulge in this art of gifting and create beautiful memories.

And if you’ve ever crafted or received such a special Boo Basket, we’d love to hear your story.

Did it light up your day or someone else’s? Share your heartwarming experiences and spread the magic!

You May Also Enjoy Reading These Articles

• 5 Tips On How To Create A Solid Personal Growth Plan
• How To Show Your Highly Sensitive Partner You Love Them
• Do You Know Your Self Care Love Language?
• The Best Christmas Gifts For Personal Growth
• The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For Empaths

Disclaimer: In this article, we collaborated with AI while writing articles, meaning that we used it as a personal assistant to provide valuable information to our readers. The personal touch through stories and personal examples and the editing of the article have been performed by the author.

The post Crafting the Perfect Boo Basket for the Highly Sensitive Person appeared first on HiSensitives.

Feeling overwhelmed lately? In this comforting blog, discover how to deal with prolonged stress as a highly sensitive person. Learn practical vagus nerve techniques, gentle rituals, and simple daily joys to calm your nervous system, without tuning out the world.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), you probably know how deeply the world can affect you. Not just emotionally, but physically and energetically too. Lately, I found myself hitting a wall: a quiet, invisible wall of stress that had been building up over time. And maybe you’re feeling it too.

It wasn’t one major life event. It was the daily tension, the constant stimulation, and the overwhelm from everything going on, both globally and personally. So this past weekend, I gave myself permission to do something I don’t often do…

Escaping Reality (and Stress) as a Highly Sensitive Person

I spent the whole weekend playing The Sims. Yes, The Sims! No work, no chores, no expectations. I allowed myself to escape into a world where I could build little homes, design cozy rooms, and watch tiny virtual people go about their lives. It was bliss. And you know what? It helped. I came out of that weekend feeling calmer, more centered, and surprisingly more me. The constant buzz in my brain had softened. I felt clearer, less negative, and far more grounded. And it made me realize how vital it is to find your own ways to deal with prolonged stress.

This is something many HSPs struggle with, and I was reminded of that when I opened one of the online HSP communities I’m in. Someone had posted, “What do you do when everything just feels like too much?” The answers poured in. So many of us are feeling this way. If this sounds familiar, please know: you’re not alone. And more importantly, there are gentle, effective ways to support yourself through this season of stress.

Why Prolonged Stress Hits HSPs So Hard

For highly sensitive people, stress doesn’t just affect the mind, it affects the entire nervous system. We absorb more. Feel more. Notice more. And because we process so deeply, our system often holds onto things longer than others might. While a non-HSP might bounce back quickly from a stressful event, an HSP may need more time, more space, and more rest to fully return to baseline.

And when stress becomes prolonged, whether due to work, world events, relationship tension, or emotional burnout, it can feel like we’re stuck in survival mode.

Start With Your Nervous System: Vagus Nerve Support

When stress lingers, your vagus nerve, a key player in your parasympathetic nervous system, can get stuck in a state of tension. Here are gentle ways to support it:

• Deep, slow belly breathing: Try 4-4-8 breathing. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, and exhale for 8.
• Soft humming or singing: This creates soothing vibrations that stimulate the vagus nerve.
• Cold water splash: Rinse your face with cool water or press a cold washcloth to your chest or neck.
• Gentle touch: Place your hand over your heart and breathe slowly.
• Feet-up pose: Lie down and elevate your legs. A simple way to rest and reset.
• Somatic movement or stretching: Slow, mindful movements help you reconnect with your body.

Doing one or two of these each day can bring calm to your body, even when your mind is spinning.

Fill Your Day with Beauty, Even in a Chaotic World

I know… it feels strange to focus on beauty when the world feels so heavy. And if you’re highly sensitive, you might even feel guilty for having the privilege to enjoy cozy rituals, warm meals, or quiet moments of peace while so many are suffering. That guilt is human. It comes from your deep empathy. But here’s something to reflect on: beauty and pain can coexist.

Taking care of your mental and emotional well-being doesn’t mean you’re ignoring the hardships in the world. In fact, nourishing your nervous system may help you stay present, compassionate, and resourced enough to show up when it matters. You don’t need to carry the weight of the world alone to prove that you care.

Think of it this way: when you intentionally seek out beauty, you’re not turning a blind eye, you’re reminding yourself that goodness still exists. You become aware of what we all are fighting for. And your nervous system, which absorbs so much, gets a moment to exhale.

You don’t need a grand plan. Just little, lovely moments. Like:

25 Beautifully Mundane Things You Can Do Today

1. Sip your favorite tea from a cozy mug: I love this cat mug with infuser and lid!
2. Watch birds in the morning while wrapped in a blanket
3. Listen to an instrumental playlist and light a candle
4. Walk your dog or just stroll alone in a quiet area
5. Take photos of flowers, leaves, or shadows
6. Bake something warm and nourishing
7. Journal your thoughts, no filter needed
8. Watch the sky change colors at sunset
9. Try a new seasonal recipe
10. Re-watch your comfort show (hello, Gilmore Girls)
11. Knit or crochet something imperfect but beautiful
12. Organize your space while playing soft music
13. Draw or paint with no pressure
14. Take yourself out for a solo coffee date
15. Do a 10-minute guided meditation
16. Sit by a window and daydream
17. Make a gratitude list (even if it’s just 3 things)
18. Put your phone on airplane mode for one hour
19. Re-read a favorite book passage
20. Tend to your plants
21. Diffuse calming essential oils like lavender or orange
22. Watch a nature documentary
23. Do some gentle stretches before bed
24. Take a slow, mindful shower with warm water
25. Write a letter to your future self

These little things are not “wasting time.” They’re nourishing your nervous system. They’re how you survive prolonged stress without burning out.

Let Go of the Guilt and Choose Rest

This is the hardest part for many of us, slowing down without feeling guilty. But when you’re dealing with prolonged stress, you need more than just a nap. You need real rest. Deep rest. The kind that doesn’t come with shame or the feeling that you’re falling behind.

Try this:

• Block time off in your calendar, even if it’s just one hour of “white space” a day.
• Say no more often than you say yes during this season.
• Take a social media detox for 24 hours (or more).
• Ask for help, even when it feels hard.
• Tell someone you’re struggling, a friend, therapist, or coach.

You deserve to rest without explanation. You’re not lazy. In fact, you’re healing.

You’re Allowed to Be Soft

When stress lingers, the world may tell you to “toughen up.” But if you’re highly sensitive, that advice only takes you further away from who you really are. Your softness is not the problem. In fact, it’s your superpower. You just need to protect it with boundaries, nourish it with beauty, and soothe it with rest.

So if you’ve been feeling the weight of the world lately, please take this as your permission slip to slow down. To escape for a while if needed. To play Sims, to drink tea, to lie down and do nothing at all. You don’t have to “fix” yourself. You just have to take care of yourself.

And if you’re ready to explore more ways to regulate your nervous system, set boundaries, and return to your own inner peace, the HiSensitives Membership offers a safe space just for you, packed with weekly meditations, personal growth tools, and a community of people who get it. You’re not alone in this. You never were.

In this article, we collaborated with AI, meaning that the input and stories are original human ideas, but the text itself has been created with support from AI. All AI content is being edited and factchecked by our editor.

The post How to Deal with Prolonged Stress as a Highly Sensitive Person appeared first on HiSensitives.