What is a HSP person

A HSP person in psychology is a highly sensitive person, i.e. a person who possesses a personality trait that makes him/her perceive, feel and process physical and emotional stimuli with greater intensity and depth than most people.

This trait is neither a disease nor a defect, but a different way of being and being in the world, which has its advantages and challenges.

According to psychologist Elaine Aron, a pioneer in the study of high sensitivity, this trait affects 15-20% of the population, both men and women, and occurs in all cultures and races.

High sensitivity is considered an innate trait, which can be observed from childhood, and has a biological basis, related to a finer and more receptive nervous system. PAS people are characterised by a number of common traits, which may vary in degree and intensity according to each individual. Some of these characteristics are:

Greater sensory perception: HSP people capture more details and nuances of their environment, both visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile. This makes them appreciate beauty and art, but also makes them more vulnerable to noise, light, smells or textures that they find unpleasant or disturbing.

Greater empathy and compassion: HSP people easily put themselves in other people's shoes and feel what they feel. This makes them supportive, altruistic and caring towards others, but also makes them suffer for the pain of others or for the injustices of the world.

Greater emotional depth: HSP people experience emotions more strongly and intensely than others. This makes them passionate, enthusiastic and creative, but also makes them more vulnerable to stress, anxiety or depression.

Greater reflection and introspection: HSP people think a lot before they act and analyse everything that happens to them from different perspectives. This makes them aware, critical and wise, but also makes them indecisive, perfectionist or self-demanding.

Greater need for calm and solitude: HSP people are easily saturated by external stimuli and need to retreat to a quiet and safe place to regain their inner balance. This makes them independent, autonomous and original, but also makes them introverted, shy or antisocial.