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To answer that question, first we need to understand what “high sensitivity” is. Most people have heard the term “introvert.” However, most people do not really know what high sensitivity is. And some will even recoil (particularly men) from the term because they might have been told, perhaps abusively, that they are “too sensitive.”
Here’s a short video introducing the subject of high sensitivity or the “highly sensitive person”:
As you can see, the physiology of high sensitvity is evolutionary and genetic. The highly sensitive person has been designed that way by nature. Understanding this fact is the first step in removing any shame that a person may feel for the needs they may have for alone time, quiet, extra sleep, ice cream, and other things that highly sensitive people need.
Do those needs sound familiar? If you’re an introvert, then they probably do. And now that you know about high sensitivity and that it’s a unique physiology seen in humans and other species, you now have the option of learning more about effective self care, ways to mitigate the parts of being highly sensitive that are difficult, and the option to begin consciously connecting with other people who have the same physiology. In her work on high sensitivity, Dr. Elaine Aaron has talked about how important it is for highly sensitive people to have other HSPs in their lives.
High sensitivity can also explain the tendency to get irritated by others while also seeing deeply into people and situations.
If you’d like to learn more about high sensitivity, here is a free course right here on this website. We also have a safe community of highly sensitive and gifted individuals, many of whom identify as introverts. You can meet other people or keep to yourself, or both as your needs change.
After watching the video above, what are your thoughts on the relationship between begin an introvert and high sensitivity?
