How to tell if you’re a ‘highly sensitive person’ (HSP)

Have you ever considered yourself a ‘highly sensitive person’? Maybe not. Instead, think: have you ever been in a crowded room and found the loud noises of their voices meshing together, or the scents of so many people in one space, or the bright lights above you too much to handle? Have you ever been listening to a friend talk about something and shared in their emotions so deeply that it feels as though the situation has happened to you? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed that it’s manifesting itself physically in your body, from headaches and tense jaws to an inability to sleep?

If any of this sounds familiar, then you might just be a highly sensitive person (HSP). That’s not just to say that you’re just easily offended or upset. “Highly sensitive people can often feel too sensitive for the world around them,” says Charlotte Lewis, a holistic psychology expert – also known as @MyPsychologyCoach on Instagram – and in-house wellbeing expert at Channel 4. “They become overwhelmed in crowded spaces or loud environments and are easily affected by other people’s moods, sometimes feeling like they are experiencing other people’s emotions within their own body.”

Many celebrities and public figures are also said to have been HSP, from Katharine Hepburn to Martin Luther King Jr, Albert Einstein and Nicole Kidman – so if any of these traits sound familiar, then you’re in good company.

Now, thanks to ongoing scientific research, ‘high sensitivity’ (HS) is becoming more well-known and recognised. It’s made its way onto social media, too, with #highlysensitiveperson receiving 133 million views on TikTok alone. But what exactly does it mean to be HS, and how can you manage the impact it has on your everyday life? Expert Lewis has the answer.

What exactly is high sensitivity?

High sensitivity is a personality trait present from birth – rather than a disorder or diagnosis – that affects around 15–20% of the population, according to psychologists. It means that a person’s “sensory experience is heightened, it’s a neurobiological difference,” says Lewis. “Their brain processes their environment, emotions, sensory experiences and feelings at a deeper level than the rest of the population.”

As a result, HSP often feel overwhelmed more easily than others. According to Lewis, the brain of a HSP has a stronger depth of processing and “more active mirror neuron systems, which relates to how we process social and emotional situations. They help us understand what someone is doing or experiencing, allowing humans to feel empathy and compassion for others.” The result: HSP are highly empathic, intuitive people who are able to accurately read those around them. “So, if you seem to feel things more strongly than other people, you are probably right,” says Lewis.

What are the signs that you could be a highly sensitive person?

If the concept of high sensitivity has struck a chord with you, then take a look at this list created by Lewis, highlighting some of the traits that are common among those who are Highly Sensitive: