It's one thing to be a sensitive person, but it's a completely different story to be Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). Hearing things like "don't be such a crybaby" or "stop worrying about it" don't help much either because for people like myself, it's not that simple.
Let's not confuse HSP with social phobia or anxiety, though it's not uncommon to have both. In an attempt to clarify the trait, here are some signs that you might be HSP.
1. You're extremely detail-oriented.
And I don't necessarily always mean this in that you're very clean or organized. You can be a relatively messy person and still know where everything is. But for HSPs, you have to know where everything is, how everything works, why it works that way, etc. Any gap in your knowledge will stress you out beyond belief and it's very hard to take your mind off of it unless you've covered all of the bases.
2. You're highly susceptible to others emotions.
Though this goes for every emotion, sadness is the most infectious. If you watch a sad movie, listen to a sad song, or read a sad story...you're bound to be quite depressed for a while. On a higher note, happiness comes second, so in most cases where you hear one person laugh, you'll likely be the first to follow.
3. You're very in tune to your surroundings.
This can make things like studying or even sleeping complete hell. You have to be in a quiet place or have some kind of repetitive and relaxing noise in order to stay focused. The clicking of that one person's pen across the room sounds 10x louder in your ears, and yet the sound of silence in your bedroom has never been so loud either.
4. Criticism cuts like a knife.
You know that it's probably constructive criticism and that they're probably just trying to help you out. It doesn't make you feel any better though.
5. You're very perceptive.
This ties in with #2. Since you're so susceptible to people's emotions, you're able to tell the difference between someone saying "I'm fine" and meaning it versus someone saying "I'm fine" just to end a conversation. In addition to this, you're also able to respond to this accordingly, whether it's by bringing it up immediately or waiting a bit before gently asking someone what the problem is.
6. You hardly ever forget your manners.
No matter who it is you're meeting, you feel the need to be as respectful as possible to refrain from offending anyone and everyone. It takes a while for you to break down these formal barriers and start addressing others (especially those higher up the ladder than yourself) casually, even if the person reassures you that it's okay to do so.
7. "I don't care" is one of the biggest lies that you tell yourself.
If anything, you care far too much. And in this sense, it doesn't often take long for you to care about someone.
8. You have trust issues.
You're prone to being hurt, and for HSPs, it can take a while to get over it. Because of this, you might have people in this odd push-pull relationship because as much as you want to be close to this person, you're just afraid of being hurt.
9. You're usually all in your head.
HSPs are huge thinkers. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good, because it means that they will usually think before they speak or act. Bad, because they (unless they've grown close to you) will rarely tell you if they're feeling distressed. As the outside person, you'd just have to notice if something is wrong.
10. Sometimes you just don't feel like talking.
It's not because you don't like a person or that something is boring. You just literally don't feel like talking.
11. You need alone time, but not too much.
HSPs need more time to recharge than the average person, especially after a day of being out with people. But in that same notion, they don't like to be alone. They like the feeling of knowing that someone is there but not feeling pressured to do anything besides just be there with someone.
12. You're observant, but not judgmental.
HSPs, since a lot of them like to stay in their heads, notice a lot of things but never usually say what they're thinking. It doesn't mean they're necessarily "judging" you. It just means they see you.
13. You cry easier than most, but not over everything.
This is the most common misconception about HSPs. They do not cry over everything, but they are more likely to cry when their emotions are at their highest. But crying is a catharsis for them. So don't ever tell HSPs (or anyone, for that matter) to stop crying. Let them cry, but be there for them when it's over. Be their support and they'll be yours in the long run.
