Highly Sensitive Individuals (Part 1 of 2)

Do you often feel overwhelmed by your environment or the people around you? Are you very self-conscious? Do you try to avoid contact with people, especially strangers or casual acquaintances? Are you easily affected by stimuli around you like sounds, images, noises, music, words and emotions?

Relax! You may not be suffering from low self-esteem or from severe anxiety. You may simply be a Highly Sensitive Person.

Some researchers estimate that up to 20% of a population is highly sensitive. Highly Sensitive People are born with very perceptive sensory systems. They are therefore more keenly affected by stimuli around them, like light and colour, sounds, excitement, people and stress. They possess powerful intuition, and have a greater capacity to analyse, empathise and understand their surroundings and the people around them.

Because of their sensitivity, they are also more likely to minimise social contact. This explains why they shun crowded areas like shopping malls during the weekends, avoid overcharged settings like discos and rock concerts, and maintain only a few close friends.

Being highly sensitive brings along with it its fair share of gifts and obstacles. You may be a Highly Sensitive Person if:

- You are usually more affected by other people's opinions, thoughts, emotions, needs and desires than your own. As a result, you're very caring and you empathise easily with others. On the downside, you worry too much and people find it easy to take advantage of you. You also tend to lose sight of your own happiness, needs and goals.

- You are keenly aware of the subtleties in your environment. You may be able to perceive understated changes in temperature, light, noises, smell, textures and energy. Your senses go beyond the physical realm to permeate into the intellectual, emotional and spiritual realms. Because of this, you're able to develop relationships among seemingly discordant elements, and understand complex concepts. You're creative and far-sighted.

- You can be deeply moved by stories, words, films, and music. You are finely attuned to the emotions they evoke, and they can often perk you up instantly or make you cry. You are also likely to possess a flair with words or a talent for composing music.

I'll continue to examine the common traits of a Highly Sensitive Person, and how you can capitalise on their strengths and minimise their barriers.