Psychologist shares the 10 signs that indicate you're a highly sensitive person

A psychologist has unveiled the ten most common signs seen in highly sensitive individuals, with other experts sharing their wisdom on combating intense emotions.

Do you find you get overwhelmed super easy? Need to withdraw from certain situations to ‘recharge’ your social battery? Or, do you have an extremely strong sense of compassion?

If so, then you may be someone who is classed as a highly sensitive person.

While being highly sensitive isn’t an official clinical diagnosis, it is a term coined by Elaine and Arthur Aron in the mid-1900s to explain why some people seem to have a more sensitive nervous system than others.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), you’re a highly sensitive person if you have high levels of sensitivity to subtle stimuli and are often easily over-aroused by external stimuli.

Earlier this month, practitioner Dr Lalitaa Suglani took to Instagram to share ten signs that may mark you out as a highly sensitive person.

“Ever feel like you experience the world more deeply than others? It’s time you fully understood what this means!” she wrote in the post’s caption.

“This year, embrace it and start learning to understand it more fully - it’s the key to thriving.”

Optioning for regular alone time

Dr Suglani outlined that highly sensitive people usually need more alone time.

Clinical psychologist and author Dr Julie Smith has backed up this claim, saying in a TikTok video that those who ‘feel the need to withdraw’ from busy environments often need to recuperate alone to ‘get relief from the stimulation of those surroundings’.

Psychotherapist Julie Bjelland has also explained how your nervous system can become overwhelmed if it isn’t given time off from stressful situations.

She recommends that highly sensitive people experience at least two hours a day where they can ‘reach a state of relaxation’.

“Some people prefer it all at once and some find they might do one hour in the morning before everyone is up and another hour in another part of the day, for example,” Bjelland added.

Not being able to take criticism or rejection well

Clinical psychologist Aron said that around 15-20 percent of people across the globe have a highly sensitive personality. Interestingly, if you routinely struggle in the face of criticism, you may be one of them.

There are some ways you can better deal with criticism and rejection, says Psych Central.

These include focusing on positive feedback instead, resisting the urge to respond immediately, and asking questions so you can fully understand what went wrong.

Easily overwhelmed

It’s not uncommon for highly sensitive people to become overwhelmed. This is because these people process stimuli more intensely than others.

Sensory overload and emotional fatigue are two common causes, with Better Help writing: “While sensitivity can be a gift for some, it may also lead to feeling overwhelmed when faced with intense emotional situations or when simultaneously experiencing a surge of various emotions.”

It’s advised that these highly sensitive people employ coping strategies like time management, practise self-care and set healthy boundaries between themselves, their work, and even their friends.

Vivid imagination and having a rich inner life

Highly sensitive people are often extremely creative and can have a rich inner life, according to Dr Suglani.

Unfortunately, an active imagination can also create worry and intense feelings for others. Be warned: this can eventually lead to empathy fatigue, which Cleveland Clinic states is a ‘negative consequence of repeated exposure to stressful or traumatic events’.

In tune with your intuition

Due to processing everything deeply, many believe that high sensitivity and intuition are connected.

Dr Elayne Daniels, a psychotherapist and coach, states that those with a unique nervous system are likely to pick up on things ‘way more than the 80-85 percent of people who do not have the High Sensitivity trait’.

She even claimed that some highly sensitive people may ‘seem psychic because they can sense or even at times feel the energy or vibe of others.’

“For instance, HSPs are better than non-HSPs at distinguishing between ‘good’ guys and ‘bad guys’. In real life and in movies. (That does not mean the accuracy rate is 100%!),” Dr Daniels added.

Strong sense of compassion and empathy

The sixth sign that you’re a highly sensitive person is your strong sense of compassion and intense empathy, says Dr Suglani.

“Sensitive people have empathy in spades, so much so that the difference can be seen in brain scans,” said Sensitive authors Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo.

“This means sensitive people tend to ‘feel for others’ more than less sensitive people, which can encourage them to be more compassionate and take action in the face of suffering.”

Intense responses to emotional situations

As we’ve mentioned, people with intense responses to emotional situations can often feel overwhelmed and need to retreat to a safe space.

“Sensitive individuals process their environment so deeply that they are inevitably more affected by both the good and the bad within it,” explains Psychology Today. “They are not weak; they are susceptible.”

MedicalNewsToday also writes that highly sensitive people are often more aware of social stimuli, such as people’s voiced and facial expressions.

The site adds: “They may be particularly empathetic but also more prone to overstimulation.”

Sensitivity to the senses

Loud bands, incessant chattering, chewing and more can deeply affect highly sensitive people.

According to Bjelland, this is because of a trait called ‘sensory processing sensitivity’ which causes sufferers to experience a different level of sensitivity to the sense.

Things that may help you overcome sensitive senses include wearing ear plugs in noisy areas, getting enough sleep, and advocating for your needs.

Overwhelmed by violence or negativity

The penultimate sign that you may be a highly sensitive individual is that you have an overwhelming emotional response to violence or negativity in the media.

This could be anything from watching boxing bouts to reading about a celebrity's death in the newspaper.

Feeling uncomfortable in crowded or busy environments

Due to processing stimuli a little differently to others, those with sensitive dispositions often feel uncomfortable in crowded or busy environments.

On this point, shared by Dr Suglani, one Instagram commenter wrote: “This was good to see, especially today. #10 fascinates me, as my music production work (recording studio and concert sound) often has me in crowded environments.

“I wonder if I take on the load of more than one person to give myself relative isolation? I must check out your book!”