Have you ever heard of HSP? No it’s not another tax, or an STD. It’s a personality trait, and it stands for Highly Sensitive Person. It has been mentioned to me before in passing, but when I came across it again while searching for some information on Buddhism, I nearly fell over. Okay, I was actually lying down, but I was truly blown away. It was as if the author of the article had done an interview with me, but without my consent or knowledge. She knew so much! About things I had thought about but never put words to in my entire life!
How is this so? It turns out there is a personality trait, common in about 15% of the population, which actually stems from individuals having a more responsive (hyper sensitive) nervous system. These individuals are more emotionally sensitive, are more easily physically aroused, and are sensitive to many forms of stimuli. It can have many signs, but highly sensitive people are often:
- easily startled
- intuitive and can sense more easily how others are feeling
- have stronger sensory perception, and are therefore easily bothered by loud noises, smells, bright lights, etc
- need a lot of down time, alone time, and sleep
- prefers deep, meaningful conversations over 'small talk'
The list is really quite long and there is so much information to read about the highly sensitive person. As I continue to sift through information, everything provides a little more insight in why I feel and think the way I do. I always have the lights off at home, unless it’s pitch black, in which case I turn on one very dim light. I always thought it was weird that I didn't enjoy bright rooms, and I can’t count the number of times people have said to me ‘why is it so dark in here?’. I cannot stand loud bars where I have to yell to be heard. I find the experience so draining I can only last a little while and feel terrible when I leave, which I always thought was so odd. All my friends were having a blast in there? Why can't it be more fun?! I have to live very near nature, and need the ability to find a place almost daily to enjoy the greenery, without noise or other people. Nature for people who are highly sensitive is often a critical component of their lives, as everything slows down to nature’s pace. No cars, no technology, and no massive amounts of stimuli.
I could go on and on, but I won't. There is a massive amount of information on the internet and books written about it. If you're an HSP but you don't know it yet, you'll almost certainly know after reading a description about it. It's like being hit with a dump truck.
The first article I read on the subject: http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/sensitive_in_an_insensitive_world/
