Several studies estimate that highly sensitive people represent between 15 and 20% of the population. Yet, often they clash with the incomprehension of the others, who consider “exaggerated” their reactions to common situations of life. Obviously, the problem is that these people judge using their personal criteria, not realizing that we are all different and that often these hypersensitive responses are automatic and caused by a major suffering.
In fact, most of the highly sensitive persons do not want to react that way and try to adapt to the world around them, but they not always succeed. Their hypersensibility not simply depend on the character or the personality, but also by a different nervous system and a different brain functioning. Therefore, attempts to meet the others and hide their own “ego” can end to destroy them.
The truth is that the virtues of highly sensitive persons are many, so it makes no sense to focus solely on their “exaggerated” reaction, because it would be like focusing in sunspots not considering the heat that gives us the sun. So the key is to understand them, put in their place and enjoy their company.
How highly sensitive persons react?
1. They feel overwhelmed when they face many tasks
Highly sensitive persons are able to focus carefully on a task, but very often feel overwhelmed when they have plenty of them at the same time. In that moment their level of anxiety and stress increases dramatically, while productivity is reduced and they become irritable.
2. They try to avoid chaotic environments at all cost
Highly sensitive persons react badly to chaos. They find it difficult to handle large numbers of stimuli at the same time; sounds, interruptions, smells and activities around them. It’s like their senses were saturated by too much information that must be processed. For this reason they prefer to avoid these situations at all costs.
3. They get stuck under pressure
Highly sensitive persons can be very creative and often excel at work, precisely because they have a special sensitivity. However, to give the best of themselves, often they need quietness and solitude. In fact, they often react badly to pressure, when they feel observed may get fidget or completely freezed.
4. They react intensely to the behavior of the others
Highly sensitive persons have an amazing ability to recognize micro-expressions, which means they perceive when someone is suffering and needs help, but also when they’re refused. Therefore, they can react intensely to warning signs that others don’t understand because they simply were not able to catch them.
5. They feel very uncomfortable with loud noises
Highly sensitive persons have a threshold of tolerance to noise which is lower than the rest of the population, that’s why they react strongly to loud noises such as fireworks. Moreover, they also suffer often of misophonia; that means they get irritated listening to normal sounds of daily life, such as those we emit while chewing. These reactions are difficult to control because have a visceral component but end up irritating the others.
6. They need to spend some time alone
Highly sensitive persons enjoy solitude, almost as much as they need air to breathe. After a complicated and chaotic day, everything they need is to relax. So often they tend to decline invitations from friends, not because they don’t like spending time with friends, but becuase they need solitude to recharge.
7. They need more time than usual to make decisions
For highly sensitive people to make a decision is always difficult, even the smallest one, like choosing the tastes of an ice cream. The problem is that their mind is constantly evaluating the pros and cons of all alternatives and they are terrified of taking a bad decision. Obviously, all this can be frustrating for some of them.
8. They are obsessed by details
Highly sensitive persons have a special passion for art, their keen eye catches many details that often go unnoticed to the majority. But sometimes this level of attention to details complicates their life because they always want things to be perfect. If they discover an error immediately feel a deep physical discomfort hard to manage.
9. They take everything as if were something personal
For a highly sensitive person most of the situations of life are something “personal”. Being very empathetic, they experience firsthand the pain and anguish of the others. Therefore they react so intensely to social injustices and are not able to take a proper emotional distance. The advice “don’t take it as something personal,” just doesn’t work with them. For the same reason, they also tend to react badly to criticism.
10. They’re deeply in tune with their body
These people are not only sensitive to the external environment, but are also perfectly in tune with their body. So, when their delicate balance breaks down, they feel very bad and become irritable. But to all those next to them is difficult to understand why a simple headache or a sudden hunger cause these abrupt changes in behavior.
