Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

In the past, many who were labeled as an HSP - highly sensitive person - were thought to have a flaw that could cause them to have trouble in their life. While this may be the case for some people, there are many ways to benefit from being a highly sensitive person. From Carl Yung who noticed that some people were more sensitive to Elaine Aron who wrote The Highly Sensitive Person, there has been much research and study. Today, people who are diagnosed as being an HSP have many options for learning how to more effective live a full, rich life. Happiness instead of depression and other mental problems is possible with the right guidance and support.

Carl Jung’s Concept of Sensitiveness

The Psychological Types that Carl Jung came up with included the concept of innate sensitiveness in some people. In his writings and research, extreme sensitivity was seen as a cause for mental disorders later in life because children who were extra sensitive were unable to deal with negative childhood experiences. This caused problems later in life because people were still unable to deal with traumatic or stressful situations in a positive manner. Jung was one of the first to isolate and examine sensitivity, but he was just touching the surface of the issue. Over the years, his initial research was used to further explore sensitiveness - and being a highly sensitive person.

Implications of Being a Highly Sensitive Person

Jung’s early work with this psychological type of person was centered around deficiencies of people who displayed this type of mental state. Over the years, as more has become known about how the brain and mind work, it is becoming more commonly accepted that an HSP can be a happy, productive part of society with the right coaching and therapy to help them deal with their way of seeing and experiencing the world at large.

Are You a Highly Sensitive Person? Self-Test

Answering these questions honestly will help you determine whether or not you may be a Highly Sensitive Person.

• Are you highly sensitive to pain?
• Do you have a big imagination and inner life?
• Are you easily moved by music?
• Do you not do well with changes in daily life?
• Are you upset by too many things going on at the same time?

The more yes answers you have, the greater the chance you may be an HSP.

Getting Diagnosed for Being an HSP

While the above questions may be a good way to give you a general idea is you’re an HSP, if you want to know for certain, getting a proper diagnosis is advisable. Mental health professionals will be able to tell with a greater degree of accuracy if you are affected by extreme sensitivity or not. If so, there is no reason to fear. There has never been a better time to be diagnosed as an HSP. In the past it may have led to an extremely difficult life. Today, however, with therapy and coaching, a Highly Sensitive Person can learn to not only live life, but live their life completely.

Learning to Live (and Excel) as a Highly Sensitive Person

If you are diagnosed as being a highly sensitive person, there are actually many ways that psychotherapy and life coaching can help make life easier and more fulfilling. Many times, highly sensitive people who don’t understand why they act the way they do will descend into depression or suffer from other serious mental problems. This is especially true if no outside help is sought and no self-taught methods are put into place to protect a sensitive soul from the big, bad world.

Definition of Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

Someone who is diagnosed as being an HSP - highly sensitive person - can be said to have a very empathetic way of looking at the world and dealing with it. While in the past being labeled as HSP was a negative, in the modern world much more is understood about highly sensitive people and how to help them achieve in life.

Symptoms of / Reasons for Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

• Learning to react in social situations
• Going above and beyond thinking that a HSP is weak or unable to achieve
• Breaking past the negative stereotypes associated with highly sensitive people
• Being able to effectively and successfully work with what you have

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