Highly Sensitive Person (HSP): Signs, Strengths, & the Self-Test
Learn what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), common traits, strengths, and challenges—plus a link to the HSP Self-Test and ways to cope with overwhelm.
If you’ve ever felt like your nervous system “takes in more” — more sound, more emotion, more nuance, more meaning — you’re not alone. Many people relate to the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), a label popularized by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron to describe a temperament trait known in research as Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS).
High sensitivity is not a diagnosis. It’s a trait: a naturally deeper way of processing and responding to what’s happening inside you and around you.
HSP in Simple Terms
A Highly Sensitive Person tends to:
Notice subtleties (tone shifts, small changes, “the vibe” in a room)
Process deeply (reflecting, connecting dots, sensing meaning/patterns)
Feel strongly (emotion, empathy, beauty, conflict)
Get overstimulated more easily (too much noise, pressure, multitasking, or social input)
Research suggests SPS is related to — but not the same as — introversion or emotionality.
Common HSP Signs
You might relate to several of these:
Feeling overwhelmed by bright lights, loud environments, strong smells, or chaotic spaces
Needing more time to decompress after socializing or a demanding day
Being deeply impacted by others’ moods (sometimes without realizing it)
Noticing micro-details others miss — facial expressions, pauses, shifts in energy
Feeling emotions intensely (sadness, joy, tenderness, awe)
Getting flooded when there’s too much happening at once
The Strengths of High Sensitivity
High sensitivity often comes with real gifts — especially when it’s supported instead of shamed:
Empathy and attunement
Creativity and imagination
Conscientiousness and deep care
Strong intuition (often rooted in pattern-recognition and deep processing)
A rich capacity for meaning, beauty, and emotional depth
Many HSPs aren’t “fragile.” They’re often resilient people with a system that picks up more and processes more.
The Hard Parts: Why Being an HSP can Feel Exhausting
Because the system is taking in so much, HSPs often struggle with:
Overstimulation (and the shame that can come with needing downtime)
Feeling responsible for other people’s emotions
People-pleasing, over-functioning, or conflict avoidance
Overthinking and rumination when something feels “off”
Burnout after long stretches of intensity, caregiving, or high demand
A sensitive system isn’t a problem — but it often needs different pacing, boundaries, and recovery than the world expects.
HSP vs. Anxiety, ADHD, or Trauma
A big reason HSP can feel confusing: the experience overlaps with other common patterns.
HSP/SPS is a trait — a baseline sensitivity and depth of processing.
Anxiety and trauma stress can amplify sensitivity through hypervigilance, startle response, and nervous system activation.
ADHD/autism/sensory processing differences can also involve sensory overwhelm and emotional intensity, but for different underlying reasons.
It’s also possible to be an HSP and have anxiety, trauma, ADHD, or autism. Context matters — and sorting it out can be clarifying and relieving.
The HSP Self-Test
If you want a structured way to explore this trait, Dr. Elaine Aron offers a free self-test:
HSP Self-Test: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/
Dr. Aron notes that if you answered “true” to more than 14 items, you are probably highly sensitive — and also emphasizes that no single test should be treated as definitive.
A helpful way to take the test:
Answer based on your typical patterns over time (not just a hard week).
If you’re currently burned out, grieving, or sleep deprived, consider re-taking later.
Use your results as a starting point for self-understanding — not a label you have to earn.
What Can Help?
A few HSP supports that tend to make a real difference:
Build in recovery time: decompression is not optional — it’s part of the design.
Reduce sensory load where possible: sound, light, clutter, multitasking.
Name your boundaries clearly: “Yes, and I’ll need quiet time after.”
Create bookends to demanding moments: a few minutes of regulation before/after.
Work with your rhythm: shorter sprints, more pauses, fewer constant inputs.
High sensitivity thrives with pacing, permission, and self-trust.
How Therapy Supports HSP
Therapy can be especially supportive when high sensitivity gets tangled up with anxiety, trauma patterns, people-pleasing, or burnout. Work often focuses on:
building boundaries without guilt
nervous system regulation that fits a sensitive system
strengthening self-trust and internal clarity
shifting from “over-responsible” to appropriately responsible
If you’d like to explore this further, reach out to Jessica at Wild Ember Counseling.
References
Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory-processing sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Smolewska, K. A., McCabe, S. B., & Woody, E. Z. (2006). A psychometric evaluation of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. Personality and Individual Differences.
Pluess, M. (2019). Sensory Processing Sensitivity and its association with personality traits and affect (meta-analytic work).
Aron, E. N. (HSPerson). Highly Sensitive Person Self-Test & scoring guidance.