What not to say to a highly sensitive person?

10 Things You Should Never Say to a Highly Sensitive Person
  • Yes, we know we're sensitive. ...
  • “You're too sensitive.” ...
  • “Don't take things so personally. ...
  • “It's not that big a deal. ...
  • “SURPRISE!” (“Expect the unexpected” is not a phrase HSPs live by.) ...
  • “Let's go to this loud, crowded event!”

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How do you communicate with a highly sensitive person?

Here are 7 tips and considerations when approaching difficult conversations with sensitive people (or sensitive conversations with difficult people).
  1. EXPLORE YOUR OWN FEARS. ...
  2. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. ...
  3. SEEK TO UNDERSTAND, NOT JUDGE. ...
  4. SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE THE OTHER HEARS BEST. ...
  5. DO YOUR BEST, THEN LET GO.

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What should you not do to a sensitive person?

8 Things You Should Never Do to a Highly Sensitive Person
  1. Tell us to “stop being so sensitive” ...
  2. Pile too many projects onto us at once. ...
  3. Dismiss us and our feelings. ...
  4. Rush us (it will only overstimulate us more) ...
  5. Take advantage of our kindness. ...
  6. Lie to us. ...
  7. Expect us to act like a non-HSP. ...
  8. Judge us for needing alone time.

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What are triggers for highly sensitive people?

5 common triggers for highly sensitive people
  • Noise. HSPs frequently dislike loud noises and nonstop noise of any sort. ...
  • Clutter. ...
  • Information overload. ...
  • Media. ...
  • Decisions. ...
  • Quiet. ...
  • Peaceful, clutter-free environments. ...
  • Privacy.

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What are the telltale signs of a highly sensitive person?

8 Signs You May Be a Highly Sensitive Person:
  • You're very emotional. ...
  • You're very compassionate and generous. ...
  • You're sensitive to criticism. ...
  • You feel different from everyone else and sometimes alone. ...
  • You're sensitive to external stimuli. ...
  • You overthink and worry. ...
  • You're intuitive. ...
  • You often feel tired and overwhelmed.

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Things people say that trigger a Highly Sensitive Person | STOP saying this to them!

16 related questions found

What hurts a highly sensitive person?

Highly sensitive people may be more affected by certain situations such as tension, violence, and conflict, which may lead them to avoid things that make them feel uncomfortable. You might be highly touched by beauty or emotionality. Highly sensitive people tend to feel deeply moved by the beauty they see around them.

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Do HSP have anger issues?

Due to traits of their personality, heightened empathy or childhood conditioning, many highly sensitive people have repressed anger, and do not know how to deal with their emotions healthily.

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What makes a HSP happy?

Close, meaningful relationships

HSPs crave deep connections with others. In fact, according to Aron, they may get bored or restless in relationships that lack meaningful interaction.

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What do highly sensitive people struggle with?

Living with High Sensitivity

HSPs may struggle to adapt to new circumstances, may demonstrate seemingly inappropriate emotional responses in social situations, and may easily become uncomfortable in response to light, sound, or certain physical sensations.

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What are highly sensitive people good at?

The positive traits of people that are highly sensitive include emotional awareness, empathy for others, the ability to pick up on small cues that others miss, dedication to fairness and justice, passionate and innovative thinking, and an ability to demonstrate good leadership through valuing others.

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What kind of partner does a HSP need?

A verbal safe haven: HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued. Since highly sensitive people feel things more deeply than most, their feelings often get hurt more quickly than others'. HSPs thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued.

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How do you calm a highly sensitive person?

Listen to these HSP podcasts.
...
Quick Tips to Calm an Overwhelmed HSP Brain
  1. Close your eyes. 80% of the brain's stimulation is in the eyes.
  2. Count your breaths and extend the exhale. Breathe in for the count of 4, hold for 2, exhale for 7. ...
  3. 3.Name your emotions. ...
  4. Mindfully observe your senses. ...
  5. Go outside.

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Can sensitive people be toxic?

Let me note here that highly sensitive people can also exhibit toxic behaviors. When bringing up your needs, wants feelings or thoughts do you constantly feel criticized, put down, or shamed?

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Are HSP emotionally intelligent?

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. The good news is that highly sensitive people aren't more or less emotionally intelligent than others.

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What happens in the brain of a highly sensitive person?

Highly sensitive people activate brain areas to a greater extent to interpret in great depth and detail the information of the affective and emotional states of the people around them, especially those close to them.

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How does the brain of a highly sensitive person work?

HSPs have more active mirror neurons in their brain

Mirror neurons help a person understand what other people are feeling. HSPs naturally recognize and feel others' pain because of how active their mirror neurons are. An HSP's brain is super adept at empathy, awareness, and attunement to emotions.

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What personality type are highly sensitive people?

Most HSPs are either INFJs or INFPs — the ones that don't tend to be ENFJs or ENFPs. Whether you're one or both, it's important to know what stresses you, what overstimulates you and what makes you feel calm, relaxed and happy.

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Why do HSP feel lonely?

One of the main reasons that HSPs might feel lonely is that their interactions and relationships are lacking substance — and our constant sense of being an “outsider” only makes this worse. Unless we can stop withdrawing and get the meaningful interactions we crave.

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Do HSP sleep more?

Sleep is crucial for HSPs, so make sure its highly quality and your night-time sleep is long. Most HSPs need at least 8 hours, and many sleep over the average -- 9 or 10 hours nightly.

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Does HSP overthink?

A common struggle for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) is overthinking. “My brain won't stop,” or, “I can't turn it off!” or “I'm overanalyzing again” are common refrains.

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Are HSP people pleasers?

Why HSPs Are Often People-Pleasers. Many highly sensitive people have spent a majority of their lives feeling different or as though something is “wrong” with them for being so deeply sensitive. So, receiving validation, acceptance, or feeling needed by someone feels incredibly good.

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Are HSP gifted?

It's true that HSPs have a tendency towards overstimulation and high emotional reactivity. But we're also gifted with high empathy and deep intellectual processing. HSPs are extremely valuable and important for a thriving, well-rounded culture.

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Is HSP a narcissist?

It is important to note that many highly sensitive people are not narcissistic. Highly sensitive people are often aware, empathetic, and excellent listeners, which are the antithesis of narcissism.

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Does HSP get worse with age?

Stress & Sensitivity Can Worsen With Age for HSPs. Here's How to Prevent That. If you are a highly sensitive person (HSP) you might be growing larger stress centers in your brain without even knowing it, and if you don't do anything about it, they will become even bigger.

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Are highly sensitive people jealous?

The dictionary defines jealousy as "feelings of worry over the potential loss of something valuable." In business, experiencing jealousy is fairly common, but those feelings are amplified if you're a highly sensitive person.

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