9 Traits Of A Highly Sensitive Person

Are You A Highly Sensitive Person?

More and more people are starting to realise they are a highly sensitive person. According to various research 15-20% of the population are a highly sensitive person. Dr Elaine Aaron a HSP Expert, states that a lot more people think they are highly sensitive when they are not.

Now more and more studies are demonstrating being highly sensitive which is also known as hypersensitivity is not a dis-order or a weakness. Highly sensitive people are not emotionally unstable or emotionally immature in many ways they are simply more energetically conscious. Their nervous system is more fine tuned to their surroundings.

In-fact an FMRI study of the Highly Sensitive Brain demonstrated sensory processing sensitivity and response to others’ emotions. The highly sensitive person is shown to be physiologically affected by others moods and the environment that surrounds them.

An explanation why many HSP’s struggle with the harsh energy of modern day living. Especially sensory processing; for example noise and busyness.  Which can lead to an increased risk of  highly sensitive people suffering from chronic anxiety, stress and some other health related issues.

The Gifts And Challenges Of A Highly Sensitive Person

Being a highly sensitive person has tremendous gifts and challenges. In many ways being highly sensitive is a powerful needed trait in society. Especially when so many people block, deflect or suppress their emotions, their pain, their fear, their compassion. A highly sensitive person usually has much greater compassion, wisdom and awareness of the inner world of those around them.

Probably the reason many HSP’s are the Drs, nurses, healers, therapists, counsellors, carers, nursery nurses…But also the reason why many in these careers suffer from burn out and other chronic health challenges like CFS or depression. As they often have many challenges around grounding and having healthy boundaries.

Common Traits Of A Highly Sensitive Person

Here are some of the more common and easy to wide range of traits of a HSP

Highly Caring And Compassionate

You can often recognise a HSP as they care for others very deeply. They are extremely compassionate it simply oozes out of them. And very giving to the extent they often put them self last. Self care is often last on their list.

Highly Intuitive And Psychic 

Highly sensitive people tend to be highly intuitive and at least a bit psychic. Though many block their psychic abilities from a young age because of others perceptions and their own fear. But they have a strong inner knowing, especially about people they meet and those around them.

Highly Empathic

a highly sensitive person is usually highly empathic, easily affected by other people’s emotional and mental pain, fear or negativity.

Struggle With Violence And Strong Negativity

hypersensitivity usually comes with a strong aversion to negative or violent media such as the news and tv.

Highly Emotional

a highly sensitive person tends to appear more emotional, they cry more easily especially to situations, things and events not affected by others.

Highly Spiritual

they are usually naturally attracted to various aspects of spirituality.

Struggle To Function in Busy Environments

many HSP’s struggle to function or work in busy environments like call centres, busy office, factory even at school, college. So they need to take time out away from their desk or work environment to become re-focused and re-energised.

Need More Time Out

a highly sensitive person tends to need more time out and time away from others. They need more time to unplug, switch off, relax, even sleep. As being a HSP means you tend to have a lot more sensory processing over load.

Many HSP’s Freeze Or Shutdown To Serious Overstimulation

Due to the degree of their sensitivity many HSP’s can become very shut off emotionally especially those that are empaths. Often life, their surroundings can feel quite traumatic so they become quite shut off emotionally. Most are very ungrounded and not fully in their body in an energetic way. Many suffer from chronic anxiety and stress even if they are unaware of it. That it is why it is important to heal inner child trauma.

So How Can A Highly Sensitive Person Become More Resilient To Modern Day Living?

One of the big challenges a HSP has is balancing the scales of their gifts with the harsher energies of modern day living. So it is important a highly sensitive person learns effective anxiety and stress management skills.They also need to learn how to ground and set healthy boundaries. Because HSP’s are often more in their heart and head than the rest of their body. Their energy fields tends to be a lot more scattered and porous so they are easy target to the energies around them.

Meditation

I know as a HSP how important it is to become more resilient to modern day life. One of the most powerful things I started to study over 30 years ago was meditation.

Meditation is one of the most powerful skills everyone should learn especially someone who takes on other’s emotional thoughts, feelings and physical symptoms.

Daily Meditation can give us instant access to inner stillness, inner peace. It can helps us become more centred within in our own space. Rather than expanded out into everyone else’s energetic field. You can start learning how to meditate more easily today.

Inner Child Therapy and Healing

is extremely helpful for most HSP’s and Empaths because it can help not just heal old trauma, but unhealthy beliefs or distortions that have arisen from their gifts. Unhealthy views or fears that have arisen because of other people’s views of their sensitivity.

As well as unhealthy patterns that are keeping their level of sensitivity to an unhealthy degree.

As a highly sensitive empath who has been studying in the holistic and spiritual field for over 30 years. I was very fortunate to learn many strategies to help me remain more mentally and emotionally resilient to life’s stressors. To access a plethora of tools and techniques, healing and coaching to help you, check out the Lightworkers Portal.