Highly Sensitive Person - HSP

The abbreviation HSP stands for Highly Sensitive Person. It is not a disease or disorder, but an innate quality that occurs in 15-20% of the population and makes people sensitive to stimuli from the inside (feelings and thoughts) and stimuli from the outside (sounds, smells, light, movements, colors, shapes , flavors, etc). You perceive everything much better than other people, such as moods or body language. What other people consider normal, such as crowds or loud music, can quickly be too much for highly sensitive people, they are then overstimulated by literally too many (strong) stimuli. Highly sensitive people therefore often withdraw into their own world. Highly sensitive people differ from person to person, they experience everything in their own way.

High sensitivity is not completely new. It used to be called in another way, you were very shy, inhibited, timid or deviant.

HSP characteristics

HSP is not a disorder, but an innate quality. We therefore do not speak of HSP symptoms, which you can suffer from. But there are a number of characteristics that often occur when you are highly sensitive.

Highly sensitive people differ from person to person, they experience everything in their own way. Not all characteristics therefore apply to every HSP, some recognize themselves more in one characteristic and the other more in another characteristic.

Common characteristics of HSP are:

• you are very observant and perceive details and non-verbal communication more than others;
• you need more time to make a decision or make a choice;
• you need more time to deal with changes;
• your senses are more likely to be stimulated (sounds, smells, light, movements, colors, shapes, tastes, etc.);
• you do not like crowds and noise, you prefer peace and quiet;
• you feel the atmosphere in a group;
• you strongly experience the moods of others and you are influenced by this;
• you are touched more than average by art or music;
• you want to help others, and sometimes forget about yourself;
• you are more sensitive to stress, so that you perform less well under pressure or when you are observed;
• you need more than average rest, order and regularity to stay in balance.

HSP and overstimulation

You can suffer from overstimulation if you have received too many stimuli. Your brain struggles to process everything properly. This can be short-term or long-term. You can have short-term overstimulation, for example, after a hectic working week, a crowded party or an exhausting trip. With long-term overstimulation, you have systematically endured too many stimuli for a long period, and your entire system is overloaded. Consequences can include burnout, chronic fatigue, depression, large mood swings or addiction problems.

Treatment of HSP

You are highly sensitive from birth. It is innate, so it will not disappear. You can learn to live with it and it can be very useful and pleasant for you to seek guidance.

In a practical sense, it is important that you become aware of the innate quality and that you adjust your lifestyle accordingly: take more rest, be alone more often or visit nature and limit overstimulation (such as crowded, competitive environments). During the treatment you will be given practical tools to learn to deal with the stimuli around you, how to reduce your fatigue and worry, how to make better planning and structure for yourself, how to improve setting your limits, etc.

Please read our High sensivity (HSP) treatment page if you would like to know how we can help you with your high sensivity.

Contact Psychologen Amsterdam

Do you recognize your symptoms and do you need help or do you just have a question about HSP? Then call for an appointment or send a message to Psychologen Amsterdam.