9 Things Highly Sensitive People Do Differently

Highly Sensitive Person (or HSP for short) is someone who is born with an innate disposition of processing and understanding information on a much deeper level than most. This makes HSPs more perceptive, self-aware, intuitive, and observant because of their deep-thinking and empathetic nature. Recent surveys show that up to 15-20% of the global population are Highly Sensitive People – that’s as many as 1 in every 5 people all over the world! Still, even with so many of us experiencing the same thing, Highly Sensitive People remain misunderstood by those around them. So many HSPs don’t even realize that they’re HSPs because there is so little awareness about the matter. So, we made a list of things HSPs do differently from others to help you understand more about how HSPs think.

Writer: Chloe Avenasa
Script Editor: Rida Batool
Script Manager: Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
Animator: Karen Fong
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

Aron, E. N. (1996). Counseling the highly sensitive person. Counseling and Human Development, 28, 1-7.

Aron, E. (2013). The highly sensitive person. Kensington Publishing Corp.

Cooper, T. (2015). The Ordinary Magic of Resilience and the Highly Sensitive Person. The Guilford Press, New York: NY.

Greven, C., Lionetti, F., Boothe, C., Aron, E., Fox. E., Schendang, H., Pluess, M., Bruining, H., Acevedo, B., Bijttebier, P., and Homberga, J. (2019), Sensory Processing Sensitivity in the context of Environmental Sensitivity: A critical review and development of research agenda. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. Volume 98, March 2019, 287-305.Piechowski, M. M. (2017). Emotional giftedness: The measure of intrapersonal intelligence. Handbook of gifted education, 2, 366-381.

Zeff, T. (2004). The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide: Essential Skills for Living Well in an Overstimulating World. New Harbinger Publications.

[Psychgo]

It's currently 2:15am here in Vancouver, BC, but how many of you are awake and what time is it there? Let's try to guess where we are all from :)

[MrJoon]

It is both a blessing and a curse to feel things so deeply.

[ReynaSingh]

Highly sensitive also tends to mean overthinking everything.

[idlelife]

"you'd rather be sure about your decisions than regret them later on"

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY IT TAKES ME TOO LONG TO DECIDE

[Corgigirl]

On the internet, everyone's highly sensitive, an introvert and an infj. Yet in the real world I can find noone like me and am always the odd one.

[asylbekakimzhanov]

As an HSP, I can tell that, whenever we fail, it feels like we’ve done something soooo bad, that we don’t even deserve love or any kind of good emotions. DON’T think that, you ALL deserve love, and try to get out of bad emotions naturally
❤️❤️❤️

[tanishan]

This made me realise that a HSP is not a 'crybaby' Ive had so many ppl mislead me

[Rivers.In.The.Desert]

This actually has a name? I just thought there was something wrong with me. This is a relief.

[arielm]

In a family therapy session once my abusive sister said "you need to stop being so sensitive!" and my therapist at the time stopped her and explained that some people are just more sensitive than others and I never felt so protected in my life.

[arnelbeltran]

The struggles of an HSP:

● Being called as "too sensitive" or "too soft"

● People won't understand you because they think your a freak

● A hard time finding friends because you and them have nothing in common

● Your parents being wierded out because you won't leave your room

● Having sympathy for people despite them having no sympathy for you

[sheepyhead]

Summary ^^ also great video!!
1. Experience deeper emotions
2. Have stronger reactions
3. Better at deciding things
4. Let grief linger in their heads
5. Better at perceiving details
6. Better at reading people and characters
7. Good at actively listening to others
8. Loving more deeply
9. Hating more passionately

I hope you have a good day!

[didjaseemyjams]

Honestly, knowing there's a group of sensitive people like me makes me feel better.

[jupita]

People be like: "just pull yourself together! life isn't always easy" and im like IM TRYING OK :'(
Like, do people think I like crying and being miserable??

[inumaki]

I am an HSP

“You’re so sensitive”
“Why are you always crying”
“You’re too emotional”


IT just hurts me

[carop]

The most important thing is: highly sensitive people aren't damaged or weaker than other people. They have a SKILL!
Took me a lot of time to actively notice all the helpful skills and personality traits that come along with my sensitivity. I used to think that these skills came naturally to everybody and that the challenges which are caused by sensitivity were my flaws. But sensitivity is a gift, not everybody can feel this way! So if you can experience passionate love, don't give it only to others - you should love yourself and your sensitivity too! You owe it a lot of good things which you may have overlooked:) <3

[madmango]

"Why are you always crying?"
" I was just joking why are you so sad?"
"Hurry up! All you have to do is just pick between those two. Come on me, others are waiting...."
"What if die? I don't want to die..."
"Wow, you're so detailed. How are you so good at all the creative arts?"
"Are you okay? You seem...off."
"Thanks for listening, I thought no one would really listen to me."
"You're always so thoughtful and caring!"
"Wow, you get really angry for small things."


I am Madhurya Pedireddy, an 11-year-old girl who has heard and thought all of these things. I am thankful to know this because I used to think that I was a big baby. Thank you Pysch2Go! Now, I understand myself, and my feelings better.

[wisdom-for-all]

Indeed, HSP cannot make everyone think and feel as deeply as they do. This is their tragedy. They understand others, but others do not understand them. This can truly be a dilemma unless one learns to control all those emotions 🖖

[dailydoseofmedicinee]

Signs You're a Highly Sensitive Person🙏👍

You absolutely abhor violence and cruelty of any kind.

You're frequently emotionally exhausted from absorbing other people's feelings.

Time pressure really rattles you.

You withdraw often.

You're jumpy.

You think deeply.

You're a seeker.

Sudden, loud noises startle you.

[emilymilliers]

0:51 Experience emotions
1:19 React to situations
1:56 Make decisions
2:29 Process their grief
3:08 Perceive details
3:38 Percieve people
4:10 Listen to others
4:35 Love deeply
5:04 Hate passionately

[Sealust]

I have been like this, a HSP, my entire life. I'm 62 now. When I was a little girl, my mother knew this. She told me, "You're tender hearted". Mother always knows, doesn't she? ❤ Recently, after a discussion with my sister where I became extremely emotional about something I recalled from our childhood, she heard me crying over the phone and then said, "You ought to be more like me" (she never has been one to show much emotion). When I hung up the phone, my emotion went from sad to irate from what she said to me. I texted her back and told her, "I'll never be like you because I'M ME!!!" That's when it dawned on me that I AM ME and I actually APPRECIATE how I am emotionally. Sure, it hurts to the max more times than not, but I wouldn't want to be any other way. (*thanks for listening)