Blooming.

Welcome to my HSP, or Highly Sensitive Person, blog. Here I am going to discuss my "trials and tribulations" of being an HSP in an effort to help my loved ones understand me better...and in turn, help those who hold HSPs prominently in their own lives to understand them as well. Who knows, maybe someone will stumble upon this who is an HSP, but just hasn't learned it yet. It is my hope that I can make at least one person's life better from knowing about HSPs.

So what is an HSP? An HSP is a person who experiences everyday stimuli, situations, and emotions at a much higher rate than others. They are commonly described as "overly sensitive", shy, timid, inhibited, or neurotic. There has been a lot of study on the brains of HSPs, and it has been determined that their brains work differently than others' (Dr. Elaine Aron's research links can be found here). High Sensitivity can also be referred to as SPS, or Sensory-Processing Sensitivity. On average, about 15-20% of the population can be considered highly sensitive. To me, it is incredibly surprising that so many people don't know about HSPs, even if the average is so high.

Some of the common traits of HSPs are that they are moved by the arts. From what I have experienced, we also love water (my mom and I feel most at home near the ocean). We also need personal space, as well as to work at our own pace. We are also very intuitive to the needs of others while they are in their own environments. We dislike extremely crowded places or just being around a lot of people, where there is a lot of noise (I can't go inside a Costco without getting very anxious). We hate conflict and fighting, especially if it involves ourselves. We have low pain tolerances, we are sensitive to medications, and our senses are highly developed. We really cherish alone time in any form, and often need to do this to avoid becoming "over stimulated"...which means that, for me, having a panic attack or getting very, VERY irritated. A full list of traits can be found on the self test.

Speaking of which, I just tested myself again for the first time in about two years. Originally, I tested at about 17 (for the record, if you test 14 and above, you are probably highly sensitive). My new score is 25. I suppose overtime high sensitivity increases...or I have just become much more aware of myself as an HSP. Either way, I feel like this is a good starting off point for this project. Each week I will be updating (most likely in video form) about a new challenge I've faced as an HSP, or a challenge I have been for someone else who is not an HSP. I will also be confessing most of my social issues...as well as social goals. Please feel free to ask me any questions...I welcome any support in any form. :)