The Highly Sensitive Person

[Daydreamer]

I remember taking this quiz a while ago and scoring 24.

The only question I got a little stuck on was if I were sensitive to the effects of caffeine, since in some ways that's a yes but not in the way you might expect. Caffeine actually has the reverse effect on me than the usual expected result. It makes me drowsy and slows down my reaction times. My thoughts become fuzzier and I can't focus. I usually avoid coffee unless I have nothing productive I have left to do. Makes me relaxed but my mind loses sharpness / clarity.

Personally, I'm not on spectrum (or if I am, then mildly so) but I do consider myself to be a highly sensitive person. I also tend to be socially anxious and overthink things. Being so sensitive has definitely impacted my life. It's a positive and a negative. During certain events I've been overloaded before and ended up in tears out of sheer exhaustion and freaking out. I'd say that the vast majority of my senses are in overdrive. This can be a positive, since when creating art I am often praised for my attention to detail, vivid imagery and use of descriptions. I've been told that I have an unusual mind. However, it can be a negative since I'm a picky eater (I'm still healthy though, I just like my food to be plain since my senses of taste and smell are very sensitive) and I tend to end up overhearing things that I probably shouldn't. Plus, I can end up getting caught up on the details and miss the big picture. I have wondered if I might be ADHD, but that's a question for another time I guess.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

Caffeine actually has the reverse effect on me than the usual expected result. It makes me drowsy and slows down my reaction times. My thoughts become fuzzier and I can't focus. I usually avoid coffee unless I have nothing productive I have left to do. Makes me relaxed but my mind loses sharpness / clarity.

Caffeine has the same effect on me, everyone else drinks coffee to wake up, I drink it to get to sleep! No idea how true this is but I've heard this reverse effect is can be connected to ADHD.

 

[Matthias]

Cool, which brings us back to not making sweeping generalisations.

How is it a sweeping generalisation?

Kalinychta said HSP was a symptom of autism. I said it's a symptom of anxiety and stress. Why didn't you object to Kalinychta saying HSP was a symptom of autism?

Here, I fixed it for you:

No, not for me. Many of the questions asked to determine whether one is a HSP are known symptoms of anxiety and stress. That's based on science, not my personal experience.

Also, going back and changing your posts when people have already replied is uncool and rather dishonest.

You'd prefer I leave it up for more people to misunderstand? If a business got complaints from customers who misunderstood information they provided, do you think they'd change it or keep it the same and irritate more customers?

 

[Matthias]

It is strange when we realize not everyone feels like we do. Then there is the dilemma. Do others bend or do we? They cannot and we cannot. I find this dilemma the one that cannot be solved. Then we either live alone or luck out and live with another sensitive person or a highly understanding soul.

I used to feel the same way you do. I was a HSP my entire life until last year and now I'm not. I explained how I did it in my blog post on this site Sensitive to criticism? Here's how to overcome it. It's all based on science. I don't see why you or other people can't change. It was much easier than trying to get everyone else to cater to the sensitivities I had.

 

[Kalinychta]

Kalinychta said HSP was a symptom of autism. I said it's a symptom of anxiety and stress. Why didn't you object to Kalinychta saying HSP was a symptom of autism?

Because I said that the questions in the survey were asked of me as part of my autism assessment/diagnosis. The behavior analyst who diagnosed me specializes in autism and has many years experience in the field (she even writes books on the subject). Point being, you are making statements that contradict what autism researchers agree to be true, offering your own personal experience as absolute evidence (that and reading a bunch of stuff on Google). That’s the difference.

 

[Matthias]

Because I said that the questions in the survey were asked of me as part of my autism assessment/diagnosis. The behavior analyst who diagnosed me specializes in autism and has many years experience in the field (she even writes books on the subject). Point being, you are making statements that contradict what autism researchers agree to be true, offering your own personal experience as absolute evidence (that and reading a bunch of stuff on Google). That’s the difference.

What statement did I make that contradicts what autism researchers agree to be true?

Where did I offer my own personal experience as absolute evidence?

 

[Kalinychta]

What statement did I make that contradicts what autism researchers agree to be true?

Your comment before you went back and edited it: “It's a symptom of anxiety and stress. The only reason autistic people have higher scores is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.”

Autism researchers do not hold this position.

Where did I offer my own personal experience as absolute evidence?

“I don’t see why you or other people can't change.”

One example. And again, autism research doesn’t show this to be true.

Lots of people on here are challenging your comments, and you go back and edit your original posts and then act like you don’t know what we’re talking about. I think you should perhaps examine your comments before you post them and consider how they will be interpreted by others.

 

[100skerls]

I would think being a hsp Would correlate with a larger than average amygdala size. In which case folks who are autistic could be highly sensitive or not. High anxiety correlates with high empathy and sensitivity because those are some key functions of the amygdala. Fear response basically. If you have a strong fear/ pain response you are very sensitive to it to the point that seeing someone in pain or discomfort bothers you. And that’s what we call empathy.

 

[100skerls]

Research I’ve read about indicated that brain scans showed that people who were more empathetic and sensitive than average had larger amygdalas than average and in addition psychopaths who have a low fear response and low empathy were shown to have smaller amygdalas than average. The empathetic ones tested with the large Amygdalas were selected from a list of people who donated their kidney to a stranger. Those are extremes obviously but it’s insightful. They were trying to answer the question of why some people do something Very altruistic for nothing in return when most people would never consider doing the same.

 

[Matthias]

Your comment before you went back and edited it: “It's a symptom of anxiety and stress. The only reason autistic people have higher scores is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.”

Autism researchers do not hold this position.

That sentence can be interpreted in more than one way. I edited it because people interpreted it in a way that was contrary to what I meant and believe.

1. The only reason autistic people have higher scores is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.” (meaning anxiety and stress are the only reason for higher scores)

2. The only reason autistic people have higher scores (than non-autistic people) is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress. (meaning higher rates of anxiety and stress in autistic people (compared to non-autistic people) are the reason more autistic people are highly sensitive).

You probably interpreted it to be #1 but I meant #2. I believe autism researchers agree that autistic people as a group are more sensitive than other people because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.

“I don’t see why you or other people can't change.”

One example. And again, autism research doesn’t show this to be true

I'm not aware of any autism research that says people can't change and become less sensitive so I don't see any reason why autistic people here can't change.

Lots of people on here are challenging your comments, and you go back and edit your original posts and then act like you don’t know what we’re talking about. I think you should perhaps examine your comments before you post them and consider how they will be interpreted by others.

Most statements that people make can be interpreted in multiple ways. I have no way of knowing how people might misinterpret what I meant. I don't think it's a big deal. Everyone says things that are misunderstood and I'm here to clarify what I meant if someone misunderstands.

 

[menander]

I used to feel the same way you do. I was a HSP my entire life until last year and now I'm not. I explained how I did it in my blog post on this site Sensitive to criticism? Here's how to overcome it. It's all based on science. I don't see why you or other people can't change. It was much easier than trying to get everyone else to cater to the sensitivities I had.

You are becoming an eristic annoyance. You can stop replying to my posts because I have to ignore you. Anyone who "does not understand how you or other people can't change," without knowing any of us and then deciding you have the answer ---based on your own very narrow anecdotal experiences ---is a person from whom I want to learn nothing. Ignorance is always a terrible basis from which to try to pluck reason or truth. And the more ignorant a person is, the more convinced they are of their intelligence (The Dunning-Kruger effect ). You are very, very convinced of your intelligence. Ciao.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

How is it a sweeping generalisation?

Kalinychta said HSP was a symptom of autism. I said it's a symptom of anxiety and stress. Why didn't you object to Kalinychta saying HSP was a symptom of autism?

It is a sweeping generalisation to state that the HSP is only caused by anxiety and stress when for many HSP has absolutely nothing to do with anxiety and stress.

I did not object to Kalinychta firstly because she phrased her statements in the context of personal experience, thus making it clear on what she is basing her conclusions and that they may not be universal, and secondly because she has not come on this forum setting herself up as an expert here to educate and save us all. If you claim to be an authority on a subject you will be held to a higher standard.

You'd prefer I leave it up for more people to misunderstand? If a business got complaints from customers who misunderstood information they provided, do you think they'd change it or keep it the same and irritate more customers?

No, I would prefer you leave it as is and explain what you meant later. This is not a business, this is a conversation which many people are going to come along and read in full later. Going back and editing after people have already responded makes the replies make no sense and is very misleading.

If people are consistently misunderstanding you then it's on you to communicate more clearly and think through what you say more before you post, or own up to your mistakes later.

That sentence can be interpreted in more than one way. I edited it because people interpreted it in a way that was contrary to what I meant and believe.

1. The only reason autistic people have higher scores is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.” (meaning anxiety and stress are the only reason for higher scores)

2. The only reason autistic people have higher scores (than non-autistic people) is because of higher rates of anxiety and stress. (meaning higher rates of anxiety and stress in autistic people (compared to non-autistic people) are the reason more autistic people are highly sensitive).

These two sentences mean exactly the same same thing. The point is that for some people higher scores are completely unrelated to anxiety and stress. It is not the only reason.

 

[Pieplup]

so apparently in the last 5 years. I've went from being Alexythemic to being emotionally blunt to being hyper-sensitive to emotion. What gives? I'd also like to point out that a lot of these are things associated with autistic people not all of them but a great deal of them. It might be higher or lower, Because some of them I'm kinda half and half. I might be put off by certain smells and scents but I enjoy art. I don't buy it. I got 21. like 1/2 of these questinos are traits of autism.





It's a symptom of anxiety and stress. The reason autistic people have higher scores is probably because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.[/QUOTE] I don't buy this theory. Alot of autistic people aren't very emotionally intelligent.

I agree the symptoms are common in autistic people but many, if not most, people who are part of the autism phenotype don't have them.

It's a symptom of anxiety and stress. The reason autistic people have higher scores is probably because of higher rates of anxiety and stress.

I don't buy it simply speaking. I used to be more stressed and more anxious but Only by eliminating those things could I understand my emotions well enough to understand that I'm a hyper sensitive person. Secondly, I think that, the lack of emotional intelligence puts a damper on this. Unless you can be both clueless about your emotions and I bet a great deal of these people have either undiagnosed SPD or ASD. Secondly I'd also like to point out that. It's possible that being SPD makes this a likely occourance. This is just another part of SPD. being hyper-sensitive or hypo-sensitive. Which would make some sense.

It seems like now that i'm not longer emotionally blunt i'm better at reading my emotions. This happened a less than a month ago. I'm also better at relating to people. and have learned how to be more compasionate. I also wonder if maybe this does occur but it's unclear about it because of alexithymia and other issues understand emotions.

 

[Stuttermabolur]

I remember taking this quiz a while ago and scoring 24.

The only question I got a little stuck on was if I were sensitive to the effects of caffeine, since in some ways that's a yes but not in the way you might expect. Caffeine actually has the reverse effect on me than the usual expected result. It makes me drowsy and slows down my reaction times. My thoughts become fuzzier and I can't focus. I usually avoid coffee unless I have nothing productive I have left to do. Makes me relaxed but my mind loses sharpness / clarity.

Personally, I'm not on spectrum (or if I am, then mildly so) but I do consider myself to be a highly sensitive person. I also tend to be socially anxious and overthink things. Being so sensitive has definitely impacted my life. It's a positive and a negative. During certain events I've been overloaded before and ended up in tears out of sheer exhaustion and freaking out. I'd say that the vast majority of my senses are in overdrive. This can be a positive, since when creating art I am often praised for my attention to detail, vivid imagery and use of descriptions. I've been told that I have an unusual mind. However, it can be a negative since I'm a picky eater (I'm still healthy though, I just like my food to be plain since my senses of taste and smell are very sensitive) and I tend to end up overhearing things that I probably shouldn't. Plus, I can end up getting caught up on the details and miss the big picture. I have wondered if I might be ADHD, but that's a question for another time I guess.

This is actually pretty much exactly how I feel. I am almost certain I am a highly sensitive person, but figuring out how it interacts with spectrum disorders like autism or ADHD is pretty much impossible, as the definitions of all psychological conditions are somewhat nebulous and not directly measurable when it all comes down to it.

For my parts, I am pretty sure that in a professional setting, I would not be diagnosed with ASD right now (even though a psychologist specializing in ASD said I am on the spectrum), but I am also quite certain that I would have been diagnosed as a child. I can relate deeply to a lot of people on this forum and find it easy to hold conversations with them (and have several ADS friends), but at the same time, there are a lot of traits I simply don't have, or which are diminished compared to most people here (ironically, mostly related to sensory issues, which are the ones in common between the HSP questionnaire and ASD, so almost all the boxes I didn't check were the ones other people here probably checked).

I actually find it really easy to relate to others and put myself in their shoes, though I find it difficult to know what to expect from them or how to respond in the moment. I am slow when it comes to processing information, and become really nervous when under monitoring, or I am afraid of disappointing someone. I am also pain sensitive (the opposite of what I should be according to RAADS-R) and can't stand watching violent/disturbing media (though I'm fine with reading it). People say "wouldn't hurt a fly", but for me, it is actually literal. Even when it comes to mosquitos, I really dislike the thought of crushing another being's body and I can get upset if others do it in front of me. I once spent an hour trying to catch a daddy long-legs to remove it from my room because I was so scared of hurting it.

My answers (X means yes, otherwise no):

• I am easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input. X
  
• I seem to be aware of subtleties in my environment. X
  
• Other people’s moods affect me. X
  
• I tend to be very sensitive to pain. X
  
• I find myself needing to withdraw during busy days,into bed or into a darkened room or any place where I can have some privacy and relief from stimulation. X
  
• I am particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine. ? [never had coffee or energy drinks, and don't drink soft drinks much so can't really answer]
  
• I am easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells,coarse fabrics,or sirens close by.
• I have a rich,complex inner life. X
  
• I am made uncomfortable by loud noises. X
  
• I am deeply moved by the arts or music. X
  
• My nervous system sometimes feels so frazzled that I just have to go off by myself. ? [I don't understand the question]
  
• I am conscientious. X
  
• I startle easily. X
  
• I get rattled when I have a lot to do in a short amount of time. X
  
• When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating). [I would want to make things better, but I wouldn't ever think of changing the lights or seating]
  
• I am annoyed when people try to get me to do too many things at once. [I don't really get annoyed by it, though I probably won't do well]
  
• I try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things. X
  
• I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows. X
  
• I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around me.
• Being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me,disrupting my concentration or mood.
• Changes in my life shake me up. X
  
• I notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, works of art. X
  
• I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once. X
  
• I make it a high priority to arrange my life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations. X
  
• I am bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes. X
  
• When I must compete or be observed while performing a task, I become so nervous or shaky that I do much worse than I would otherwise. X
  
• When I was a child, my parents or teachers seemed to see me as sensitive or shy. X

20/27​

For my parts, I don't think there is a correlation between HSP and ASD. HSP are quite common, so it makes sense that some people with autism would be both, and those in turn might be more likely to use the forum and seek out social interaction of some form. I definitely have autistic traits (otherwise several people wouldn't have suggested it), but I don't think they are related to being a HSP. I never felt like autism was a "perfect fit", but the HSP criteria really does.