The Highly sensitive people (PAS) represent a band of individuals who own one more accentuated sensitivity compared to the average of the population. This feature, scientifically defined as Sensory Processing Sensitità (SPS), implies a greater depth of processing of sensory, emotional and social information.
Be highly sensitive It is not a pathology but a stretch personality which can influence various aspects of daily life.
In this article we will try to shed light on the characteristics of this section and we will try to critically expose how the SPS relates to other theories. The construction measurement problems and its characteristics will also be addressed (for example, if it is a continuous or categorical trait).
His relationship will be deepened with types of temperament and personality traits, etiology and underlying neurobiological mechanisms, and relationships with typical and atypical development, including mental and sensory disorders.
Who are the highly sensitive people?
Among the characteristics of highly sensitive people there is an accentuated perception of external and internal stimuli. Such stimuli can be physical as sounds, lights and smells, or emotional, such as the feelings of others and social dynamics.
Pas tend to reflect deeply on their experiences and feel emotions in a more intense and lasting way.
Sensory Processing Sensititivity is a common trait, inheritable and evolutionary preserved, which describes the inter -individual differences in sensitivity to both negative and positive environmental stimuli.
The theory of environmental sensitivity
To survive and thrive on planet Earth, it is essential that all organisms use environmental resources, such as food and social support. Human animals and beings are programmed to perceive, elaborate, react and adapt to specific social and physical elements of the environment, both positive and negative, in order to be able to reproduce and keep the species alive.
It is interesting to note that there are substantial inter -individual differences in sensitivity and reactivity to the environment, both in animals and human beings. Some are much more sensitive and reactive than others, as the method of information processing passes through different neurobiological correlated.
Among the populations, there is a continuum which goes from a low to a high sensitivity to the environment. In recent years, the sensory processing sensitivity, which describes the inter -individual differences in sensitivity to experiences, and which has begun as a little known topic 20 years ago, has become a much discussed component of the environmental sensitivity theory.
“Environmental sensitivity” is a term umbrella for theories that explain individual differences in the ability to record and develop environmental stimuli (Pluess, 2015). This concept includes theories:
- of differential susceptibility (Belsky, 1997; Belsky and Pluess, 2009)
- of biological sensitivity to the context (Ellis and Boyce, 2011)
- of the Sensory Processing Sensitità (Aron and Aron, 1997).
All these theories say that individuals differ in their sensitivity both to hostile environments and of comfort.
Sensory Processing Sensitità
Sensory Processing Sensititivity involves:
- a greater depth in elaboration of information
- an increased emotional reactivity and empathy
- a greater awareness of environmental subtleties
- a ease of overestimation.
In the publication The Highly Sensitive Child (Aron et al, 2002) SPS and the quality of the environment has detected an interaction between the parental environment and the SPS, such that the adults with high SPS that reported an unhappy childhood had higher scores in negative emotion and social introversion, while adults with high SPS that reported a happy childhood did not differ much from the wider population of adults not highly sensitive in these sections.
Furthermore, always with reference to the publication mentioned above, that in adults the SPS moderates the effect of parental care on depressive symptoms. Individuals with high SPS scores reported the highest scores of depression when the parental care was low, while the depression scores were not related to the SPS when the perception of parental competence was high.
The search for Elaine Aron
The concept of high sensitivity It was widely explored by the American psychologist Elaine Aron, who in the 90s coined the term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). His research has shown that about 15-20% of the population has this distinctive feature.
Aron identified four main characteristics of the highly sensitive people, summarized in the acronym Does:
- Depth of Processing (processing depth)
- Overstimulation (overestimation)
- Emotional Reactivity and Empathy (emotional reactivity and empathy)
- Sensititivity to Subtleties (sensitivity to subtleties).
These characteristics make people highly sensitive particularly attentive to details and changes in the environment surrounding, but they can also cause Stress and fatigue in situations of sensory overload.
In the questionnaire that is generally administered to people who have a suspicion of Pas, there are questions related to reactivity to caffeine, light stimulations, noise tolerance and perceived stress relating to the expectations and requests for others.
In the last construct it is clear how theanxiety may be a symptom with a certain dimension and emotional weight in the life of these people.
Resources and psychological risk factors of highly sensitive people
Highly sensitive people can enjoy numerous psychological resourceslike a great ability of empathy, a rich inner life and attention to detail that can lead to high creativity.
Despite everything, these qualities can also involve some risk factors. Pas are more susceptible to stress, anxiety and depression, especially when they are exposed to situations of conflict or overestimulating environments.
When the environment requires the performance of multiple tasks at a time, the highly sensitive person could have a highly stressful experience as his reworking ability requires a longer time.
Highly sensitive people and love
In the context of emotional relationships, highly sensitive people can live Very intense and profound experiences. They can be attentive and caring partners, capable of understanding the emotional needs of others.
However, this same sensitivity can make them vulnerable to emotional injuries and difficulties in managing conflicts. Highly sensitive people in fact process emotions in depth and are often very helpful with others, thus putting their needs in the background.
Ift
Highly sensitive people and narcissists
Another interesting dynamic concerns the inTeration between highly sensitive people and individuals with narcissistic personality. Pas, for their natural inclination to empathy and support, can be attracted by narcissistic people, who tend to manipulate and exploit others to satisfy their needs.
This combination can be particularly problematicsince the PAS could find itself in a dysfunctional relationship and feel constantly inadequate or exploited. The narcissist manages to manipulate a highly sensitive person rather easily and, as long as there is a balance in the relationship, both can enjoy some psychological advantages.
When the narcissistic personality exceeds in requests for attention, self -centeredness and self -referentiality, there is a imbalance in the couple and the sensitive person risks succumbing to these stimuli.
Is there a highly sensitive therapy for people?
There is no specific therapy exclusively for highly sensitive people, but different integrated therapeutic approaches can be useful for managing hypersensitivity and improving the quality of life.
There cognitive-behavioral therapy It can help the Pas recognize and modify negative thoughts and dysfunctional emotional reactions. Mindfulness technique can then be used, as it allows you to develop greater awareness and acceptance of one’s emotions, thus reducing stress and anxiety.
Highly sensitive people: tips to manage hypersensitivity
Highly sensitive people can adopt different strategies to manage their hypersensitivity and improve their well -being. The first step is that of recognize and accept one’s sensitivity like a resource And not as a fragility.
Have a quiet domestic space or a safe place where you can decomise stress It becomes fundamental, as the accumulation of stimuli brings the Pas to anxious or depressive states. Within this space you can practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, mindfulness and breathing techniques.
It is necessary then Learn to say no and to protect your personal space to avoid emotional overload. In delimiting the boundaries it is also functional Learn to ask for help creating a support network around it.
Books and films on highly sensitive people
Literature and cinema have often explored the topic of high sensitivity, offering food for thought and accurate representations of this feature. Among the most significant books, they can be mentioned The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aronwhich is a fundamental guide to understanding and accepting high sensitivity. Quiet: The Power of Introvers in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cainalthough focused on introverts, offers many ideas also relevant to Pas. In the end, Rolf Sellin’s book “Sensitive people have an extra gear: transform hypersensitivity from disadvantage to the advantage “ It offers a new reading of hypersensitivity, focusing on the possible positive aspects that derive from it.
The cinema offers movies like Amélie’s fabulous world, Where characters with high sensitivity traits are represented, highlighting both their challenges and their wonderful abilities of perception and empathy.
Other films such as Inside out They explore the complexity of human emotions, offering a suggestive portrait of how highly sensitive people can live their inner experiences.
Being a highly sensitive person involves unique challenges, but also a wealth of emotional and perceptive experiences. Understand and accept This feature can lead to a more life authentic and satisfactoryenriched by self -awareness and profound connections with others.
