Do people often say you’re too sensitive and need to relax your mind or take lots of time to rest after a busy day? If yes, you might be a highly sensitive person, often called HSPs for short.

Today, I’ll talk about highly sensitive people and share 10 Indications that you might be one. I’ll also give tips on handling feeling overwhelmed. If you like this article, please share and give it a like, it helps a lot!

Psychologist Elaine Aron coined the term “highly sensitive person.” 

It’s not a mental illness, but it’s often linked to sensory problems. Aron believes that HSPs react more strongly to things inside and outside of themselves compared to others, affecting about 15 to 20% of people.

Being highly sensitive has its upsides, we’re often more caring, understanding, and aware. 

But it has its challenges too. We can easily feel overwhelmed and drained, needing time alone to recharge. Nowadays, with social media, it’s even harder. 

We’re bombarded with distressing content and may encounter online harassment, playing with our emotions. That’s why affordable healthcare, including mental health support, is so important.

Now, let’s look at the 10 indications that show you might be a highly sensitive person.

I. Finding comfort in being alone is where you feel most relaxed and do your best

The constant chaos of the world can easily overwhelm us. When things get too much, going back to our own homes lets us make our space just how we like it. 

It’s not about being in complete silence or darkness, but finding the right mix of things. 

We feel our best when we’re not too bored or too busy, and spending time alone lets us set things up the way we want. 

How much time we need alone depends on how we’re feeling. 

But it’s important to know that being alone all the time isn’t good, even for people who are very sensitive. Keeping in touch with others, making friends, and spending time with people are important for feeling good. 

Even if we don’t need as much time with others as some people do, being connected to others is still really important. 

It’s also important to watch out for spending too much time alone, so we don’t use it to avoid dealing with tough feelings like feeling sad.

II. We avoid upsetting or scary content online

Our strong empathy makes it hard to watch scenes where someone gets hurt or pranked. Even if it’s just a movie, it feels too real for us. We care so much about the characters that it becomes too stressful to watch. 

To avoid feeling this way, we stay away from such content.

This sign really hits home for my friend. I love horror movies, but my friends can’t even handle a suspenseful scene in a drama. They get too worried about the characters and it stresses them out. 

So, they usually leave the room or close their eyes. It might sound strange, but it makes them feel better.

III. We overthink because we notice everything around us

Making decisions and thinking about our day takes a lot of time. We often think deeply about how things might affect others or be understood. 

This focus on details can keep us awake at night, replaying what we said, felt, and think others felt. 

It can feel like there’s not enough time to think everything through. 

Even when we want to sleep, we can’t stop our thoughts. We might worry about the future and think about the past while also processing today’s events. This can be overwhelming and tiring.

IV. We get annoyed and overwhelmed when people ask us to do too many things at once

We notice small details and think deeply, which makes multitasking hard. We also worry about how our actions affect others and try to do everything perfectly. 

If we can’t focus on one thing at a time, we fear the result won’t be good and we’ll disappoint others. When we’re pulled in different directions, we can feel out of control, irritable, and stressed.

V. We like dim lighting

Many Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) have sensory issues, so loud and bright places can be overwhelming. Overhead lights can feel too strong and uncomfortable. 

Some HSPs say overhead lights are blinding, they wear special glasses at work or take breaks with their eyes closed. 

Some of my friends also dislike bright lights, especially overhead ones, and will turn on lamps and switch off overhead lights when they visit. I love that they feel comfortable doing this because I want them to feel good, and I don’t mind the dim lighting.

VI. We have a strong fear of rejection

Because we feel things so intensely, if someone doesn’t like us or we don’t do well, we might feel like total failures. This feeling can be so strong that it feels unbearable. 

This fear can make us avoid hard projects, struggle with feedback, and find dating difficult. 

We might not realize how much this fear affects our lives, but think about how many things you do each day where someone might not like it or you. There are a lot, right? I can think of many.

VII. We’re really sensitive to caffeine

I hadn’t thought about how it affects HSPs, but it’s even on Elaine Aron’s HSP test. Caffeine revs up our nervous system, which can make us feel even more overwhelmed if we’re already sensitive. 

While others use caffeine to wake up and focus, HSPs often prefer to stay calm. 

So if you’re already feeling on edge or overwhelmed, caffeine might not be the best idea. I get it, it’s a big part of our culture, I grew up in Sukabumi City, where coffee is huge, but too much can make me feel jittery and anxious.

VIII. We cry easily

It’s important to talk about because we often feel embarrassed or ashamed of it. So we sometimes hold back our tears, even when we really need to let them out. 

Personally, I know that feeling more emotional than usual is a sign that I need to check in with myself and maybe seek therapy. 

Whether or not you think you’re highly sensitive, it’s important to pay attention to this sign. 

Notice if you find yourself tearing up while watching TV, hearing about world events, or feeling like you could cry at any moment. 

This could mean our nervous system is out of balance, and noticing it early can help us take action, like taking a break from crowded places and noise. 

Since crying in public isn’t enjoyable, especially around strangers, it’s best to be aware of this sensation so we can address it.

IX. We often feel misunderstood

Many of us HSPs feel lonely because of this. Since childhood, we’ve been told we’re too much or too sensitive, which makes us feel unlovable. 

We worry that if we share our true feelings, they won’t be understood. 

Most people don’t understand what it’s like to feel overwhelmed all the time and needing downtime to recharge, since HSPs make up 15 to 20% of the population. 

That’s why I wrote this article to help us understand more and make HSPs feel seen and understood.

X. We often feel like we don’t fit in

This last sign can be tough, especially before we realize we’re highly sensitive. We might have thought we were just strange or different, never fitting in anywhere. 

Society values working long hours, being fast, and doing many things at once, which can be overwhelming for us. 

Our experience can feel very different from others’, making us feel like we don’t belong. 

It’s important to know we’re not alone in our struggles, especially as HSPs. Doing inner child work can help. 

Elaine Aaron talks about this in her book, saying it’s important to love our child selves just as they are.

Wrap it up

Lastly, reframing. It’s a technique often used in therapy. It helps us see things differently, with more context. 

Instead of thinking “I’m just too sensitive,” maybe after reading this article, we can say, “I am a highly sensitive person, and that has its good and bad sides.” 

Now, I know this might sound like bridge statements, but reframing isn’t just about turning negatives into positives. 

We use this tool when our current way of thinking or acting isn’t helping us reach our goals. Sometimes, we need to look at things from a different angle or provide more context.

Being sensitive can actually be a strength if we learn how to handle it.

I hope you found this article interesting and useful.

Thanks for reading! Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Don’t forget to share if you found it informative ❤

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