I am a highly sensitive person.

I was recently mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook to waste time when an article that a friend posted caught my eye.  It was called "16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People." (Found here.) I have no idea why, but I clicked on it.  There was a link to Elaine Aron's website to take a quiz to see if you are highly sensitive. I took the quiz.  If you scored 14 or more, you're most likely highly sensitive.  I scored 20 out of 24.  Did I freak out?  Did I start thinking, "Oh my gosh!!  I'm overly sensitive! I'm crazy!"  No.  Actually, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief.  For the first time, I DIDN'T feel crazy!  I had an answer as to why I couldn't stand violent tv shows or movies.  I knew why I burst into tears at the drop of a hat.  I knew why music so strongly affected me.  I knew why I am so susceptible of "catching" other people's moods, good and bad.  

I am a reading junkie, but I find it hard to find time to read lately.  I have become a huge fan of Audible because I can listen to books while I'm working, driving, running, whatever.  I immediately went out and downloaded The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron.  Let me tell you-I am not only learning so much about myself, but about my son.  He is also an HSP (highly sensitive person). 

Signs of HSP people can include:

• Being sensitive to loud noises 
• Strongly disliking violent television shows or movies
• Crying or getting upset easily
• Being extremely empathetic (this can be a good and bad trait!)
• Being easily overwhelmed by smells, textures, and bright lights
• Getting rattled when you have a lot to do in a short period of time
• Enjoying fine arts and music
• Being sensitive or shy as a child
• Arranging your life to avoid things that upset or overwhelm you
• Highly susceptible to other people's moods
• Being overwhelmed by negativity
• Strong intuition
• Low pain tolerance
• Needing frequent alone time
• Being a dumping ground for other people's problems (because you are empathetic)

This personality type can be one that can inhibit your life greatly if you don't know how to deal with it.  You can start to feel crazy.  You are probably often told, "Stop being so sensitive."  You may think you have anxiety, especially social anxiety.  I know I did, and I was extremely frustrated because I couldn't understand why no treatment I had tried for anxiety, both pharmaceutical and naturopathic, worked.  This book, however, is helping me to really understand myself and my son more.  It's giving me ideas for dealing with both of our high sensitivity in a healthy manner.  I feel like I can finally move forward with my life.  I feel armed with the proper tools to say, "Yes, I am an HSP and no, it won't inhibit me anymore!

If you feel you may be an HSP, I HIGHLY recommend you download or buy Elaine Aron's book, and know that you are NOT crazy, you are NOT overly sensitive, and you are NOT ALONE!!!