What Does It Mean to Be a Highly Sensitive Person?
Researchers of various disciplines – from psychology, sociology, human development, biology, and more – have long recognized differing sensitivity levels among individuals. Dr. Elaine Aron, a clinical research psychologist who coined the term “the highly sensitive person” in her 1996 book(#CommissionsEarned), also developed a now widely used scale that measures responses to different stimuli. According to the scale, some markers of highly sensitive people (HSPs) include:
Needing to withdraw (privacy from stimulation)
Being easily overwhelmed by bright lights, strong smells, loud noises, clothing materials, and other stimuli
Being affected by other people’s moods