Recognising and utilising hypersensitivity

Are you highly sensitive?

Highly sensitive people react more strongly than other people to loud noises, bright light, intense odours or large crowds. They notice the smallest nuances and varied details in their environment or within themselves. They are particularly comfortable with in-depth discussions and complex tasks. However, they soon become overstimulated and need to withdraw into the peace and quiet. Highly sensitive people not only perceive stimuli more intensely, but also process them more deeply. This can lead to sensory overload that triggers physical or psychological reactions to stress. If you fit this description, you may also have hypersensitivity. But what does hypersensitivity actually mean? How does it manifest itself and how can you deal with it?

What is hypersensitivity?

Sensitivity is the ability to detect and process stimuli. This ability is particularly strong in people with hypersensitivity. This means that highly sensitive people perceive internal and/or external stimuli more intensely and process them more deeply. They can be sensory stimuli, feelings, thoughts and sensations when interacting with other people.

It is important to understand that it is not a disease or mental disorder, but a trait or predisposition. Predispositions manifest themselves in childhood and do not really change in adulthood. Hypersensitivity can therefore be seen as a stable trait. It is also important to understand that hypersensitivity is a spectrum and people are not simply categorised as “highly sensitive” versus “not highly sensitive”. Hypersensitivity should be thought of as the upper spectrum on the stimulus perception and processing scale.  

How does hypersensitivity manifest itself?

Scientists currently believe that around 15 to 20 percent of all people are highly sensitive. But why do highly sensitive people often feel so alone in their unique ability? One explanation is that hypersensitivity is not even noticeable in some situations. Alternatively, some highly sensitive people hide their sensitivity to fit in.

North American psychologist Dr Elaine Aron began researching hypersensitivity in the 1990s and is considered a pioneer in this field. Based on her research, she identified four aspects of hypersensitivity:

• Deep and thorough processing of information (long and intensive processing of experiences)
• Slight physical overstimulation (accompanied by physical tension)
• Emotional reactivity and high empathy
• High sensory sensitivity (to even subtle stimuli)

Highly sensitive people may find that one or more of the four aspects are particularly pronounced. For example, a person may have a very high level of empathy but react normally to sensory stimuli.

Dealing with hypersensitivity

It is often difficult for outsiders to understand the sensations and feelings of highly sensitive people. This makes it all the more important for highly sensitive people to educate those around them on the topic. Specialist books, articles or podcasts can be helpful to educate people, as the more people know about hypersensitivity, the more they will understand the needs of highly sensitive people.

When people understand others, they can find ways to respect their boundaries and needs. These needs are very individual and differ depending on the type of hypersensitivity. It is therefore important to talk openly and honestly about your needs. But it is not just a question of friends and family showing consideration. Both highly sensitive people and those around them can help to create an optimal environment in which everyone feels comfortable.

As a highly sensitive person, you don’t have to put up with everything. Allow yourself to withdraw from situations that overstimulate you. Sometimes that means saying no again or spending your lunch break alone on a walk instead of in a crowded restaurant. But it is not always possible to withdraw from everyday life. This makes it all the more important to consciously take the time to unwind after work. Of course, friends and family can also play their part in reducing the sensory overload for highly sensitive people. For example, turning down music or a partner offering to look after the children for a set amount of time provides an opportunity for peace and quiet. It is important for highly sensitive people to strike a good balance between having consideration from those around them and withdrawing from highly stimulating situations.

Hypersensitivity at work

It is not always possible to withdraw or take the time to rest, which is why everyday working life is a challenge for many highly sensitive people. As mentioned, hypersensitivity is a stable trait, and so trying to fight it at work doesn’t make sense. Forcing yourself to be more disciplined at the first signs of overstimulation is just as unproductive. It makes much more sense to take regular short breaks before you become overstimulated. Once your stimulus load has exceeded a certain level, it usually takes longer to return to a normal level than if you had factored in breaks.

At work, highly sensitive people should therefore look for a working environment with conditions that meet their needs. Alternatively, they should at least take measures to reduce stimulation to a manageable level. For example, this could involve moving from an open-plan office to a small office where the door can be closed if necessary, or wearing headphones without music. Depending on the highly sensitive person’s level of trust with superiors and colleagues, it can help to talk about shaping the working environment to suit their needs.

Hypersensitivity and extroversion

According to Elaine Aron, a subgroup of highly sensitive people are extroverted. This applies to around 30 percent of people with hypersensitivity. At first glance, this subgroup’s hypersensitivity is not very obvious because they are sociable, curious and outgoing. They have a wide range of interests and are talkative, enthusiastic and open to new ideas, impressions and stimuli, even though they soon become overstimulated. Extroverted highly sensitive people have a greater tolerance for crowds and soon become bored by simple processes and routines. They also hate waiting and often seem to be constantly on the move as a result. This means extroverted highly sensitive people can spread themselves too thin. Due to these controversial characteristics, they find themselves in a constant balancing act between their needs for extroversion and withdrawal, which is no mean feat!

Seeing hypersensitivity as a strength

Hypersensitivity can bring many benefits both for highly sensitive people and their social groups. Highly sensitive people perceive their environment more intensely and are therefore able to detect subtle nuances and details that others miss. They are better able to respond to the needs and feelings of others and have high empathy. They are also often able to recognise, avoid and resolve conflicts early on. However, it is important to emphasise that highly sensitive people should not see themselves as responsible for resolving all conflicts just because they are aware of them.

Due to their intense feelings and sensations, highly sensitive people also appreciate beauty and have a strong sense of aesthetics. As with many things, there are two sides of the same coin when it comes to hypersensitivity. Highly sensitive people should see their predisposition as a gift that enables them to see the beauty in life with particular intensity.

Tips and advice for dealing with hypersensitivity

• Allow yourself to step out of situations that overstimulate you. You don’t have to put up with everything.
• If possible, build conscious breaks into your working day. A break can just be a short pause to reflect. No matter how long the break is, make sure you step out of the activity for a moment and give your body, mind and soul space.
• Treat yourself to a meditation session in the evening. This can help you unwind at the end of a stressful day. Figure out which form of meditation suits you best.
• Carry out regular relaxation exercises such as Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation. Exercises like this can help to ease physical overstimulation.
• Read books on hypersensitivity. However, not all books are backed by science, so consider the quality and reliability of the literature. You can find scientific literature on hypersensitivity in this bibliography (hochsensibel.org).
• Use nature as a source of strength and calm. Forest bathing, where you immerse yourself intensively in a forest and take it in with all your senses, is proven to be particularly effective. Studies have shown that spending time in forests reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and creates a sense of calm.
• Practise conscious breathing. Our breath is the elixir of life. Breathing incorrectly or too shallowly can have negative impacts on your mental or physical health because the body is not supplied with enough oxygen.
• Listen to calming or uplifting music. Brain research has shown that certain music frequencies can influence our emotional moods and states. This has been shown to have positive results for depression, relaxation and learning.

References
Aron, E. N. (2022). Sind Sie hochsensibel? Wie Sie Ihre Empfindsamkeit erkennen, verstehen und nutzen (16th edition). mvgverlag.
Aron, E. N., & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory-processing sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 345–368.
Schröder, T. (2022). Hochsensibilität – Definition, Forschung, Status quo. In T. Schröder (Hrsg.), Hochsensibilität – Jobchance oder Karrierekiller in der VUCA-Welt (See pages 5–23). Springer Link. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37987-2_2
Roemer, C. (2021). Abenteuerlustig & hochsensibel. In Essentials. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35074-1