We hear a lot about introverts vs extroverts and the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types, but there’s another personality trait that might apply to you if you’ve ever been called thin-skinned or too sensitive. Like introversion, being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) isn’t a flaw, and about one out of five people would qualify as one.
Photo by gagilas.
Dr Elaine Aron identified this trait back in the mid-1990s, but it’s still a characteristic that’s misunderstood or just unknown to many. People who are HSPs tend to be more sensitive both physically and emotionally. Loud noises can be especially startling, for example, or clothing tags can be unusually irritating. The Highly Sensitive Person also tends to notice more in the surroundings, ruminates deeply, is very aware of how others are feeling (high empathy) and usually feels strong emotions.
The Loner Wolf blog explains three common misconceptions about people who are highly sensitive:
- They’re not necessarily introverts. They can be or they can be extroverted. The difference is introversion and extroversion are measured by how much energy you get from social situations, while being highly sensitive is more about your threshold for stimulation and how you process the world.
- It’s not the same as being shy. Both shy people and HSPs can be overwhelmed in social situations, but shyness is learned, while being highly sensitive is something you’re born with.
- It’s not a mental disorder. If you’re highly sensitive, there’s nothing “wrong” with you, though there are challenges.
If this sounds like you, check out the Loner Wolf’s blog post for tips on surviving in a thick-skinned world. If you’re not sure, Dr. Aron’s 27 question self test, linked below, could help you find out.
Are You Highly Sensitive? [The Highly Sensitive Person]
Comments
11 responses to “Find Out If You’re A Highly Sensitive Person With This Test”
is the test just a constant barrage of insults then at the end they ask “are you crying like a little baby right now” and if you say yes then you’re sensitive?
“If this sounds like you…” – if WHAT sounds like you? Was this article proof-read? There seems to be a common thread of poor quality articles at life-hacker. Some are very well written and researched, while others barely hang together. This is one of those “barely hang together” ones.
This.
What an awful article, where the hell exactly did the “Find Out If You’re A Highly Sensitive Person With This Test” come ? Because there was no test here just a link and certainly no information about how one would differentiate themselves from a regular person, sensitivity wise. There should at least have been a few of the stand out questions and perhaps the stark differences between a HSP and a non HSP.
I seriously need to find a new site, this collection of giz/life and kotaku articles and of so such low click bait standards is getting worse and worse. I shouldn’t have to visit 2 other websites to get the information in the title, otherwise why should I come here and read it?
I think I’ve found all the highly sensitive people 🙂
Reddit
I have to say, there are a lot of poorly written articles on LH and Giz, but this isn’t that bad…! The link for the test is at the bottom of the page, the rest is self explanatory…
Oh… and apparently I’m a sensitive soul…. go figure… 🙂
Yes which is why i said “go to 2 other websites to get all the information” as in both links.
The title explicitly references reading THIS article To find out IF you would be a HSP. the heading is a lie, ergo it is click bait. Which by default makes it a horrible article, as I said. The very fact that I had to visit alternative websites, eve if provided, to get the actual information is pathetic.
If people don’t complain about the abhorrent article standards they will never improve and we will keep getting rubbish after rubbish, though I suspect its too later for this collection already.
Meh… Been reading them for quite some time now, and they seem to be getting worse, so I’m guessing they’re not gonna improve anytime soon. I try to ignore most of the poor editing except for the inexcusable ones… 🙂
1. Read poorly put-together article
2. If you need to rant about article quality, perhaps you are a Highly Sensitive Person
Looked over the test and couldn’t help but laugh at this one:
“I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around me.”
Like getting an erection in the middle of history class in high school….
Got 13. BAM. Sensitive as a brick to the fucking face.