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[xScrunchee]

Just out of interest I wonder whether anyone on here considers themselves to be highly sensitive?

Or more to the point-do other people tell you that you are 'too' sensitive, need to toughen up etc?

It is said that 15-20% of the population are highly sensitive people yet often get told that they need to harden up, get a grip, stop being so sensitive and so on.

Highly sensitive people can find loud noise or music over whelming, certain clothing irritating, socialisation over stimulating, certain foods intolerable and many other things. They usually get told from early childhood that they are too shy, too clingy, too sensitive, too fussy and things like that.

 

Click on the link to see if you are a highly sensitive person (HSP)

Test

Edited July 18, 2008 by Guest

[Snowy]

That's really interesting Jay. Although I couldn't be classed as sensitive by any stretch of the imagination (I scored 3 ) I sometimes struggle with people who are quite sensitive as I find it hard to understand why they find certain things more difficult. I hadn't realised there was such a wide range of stimuli!

[Lapinou]

This is something that really gets my goat when it comes to children. I don't understand why we can't just accept that everyone's different and has different needs, yet children are constantly being moulded, particuarly by teachers and health visitors - 'she's too shy, take her to play group', 'she's too clingy, you need to get here sleeping in her own room' and then comes the labelling, which I don't like either - I do it myself all the time, but I can see that it's simply comparing children/people and not really just accepting that they are who they are. Energetic children have ADHD, quiet children are 'shy', children who hate school are 'school phobic'. If a person is lucky enough to be around people who respond to their needs, whatever they are and whenever they show themselves, then these labels would be totally unneccessary. I also worry about self-fulfilling prophecy and how we can change how people behave just by labelling them/encouraging them to label themselves. I could go on!

 

Off to do the 'test' now and label myself

[mad house]

I think I'm both!

 

Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

[eeyoreshunny]

I got 17, so am highly sensitive, but i knew that anyway. Might try the test for children later to see how they turn out

[Phonix]

According to the test im not!

As a child I was always told that I was too shy and quiet but generally I was only like that at school or with people that I don't know and the people saying it were teachers or people that I didn't know! lol

 

I think the only way im highly/over sensitive is to films/tv etc that makes me cry - I cry watching anything and everything basically and anything to do with mistreatment of animals

 

xXx

[Mrs Frugal]

I got 17 too but then again, I expected that as I know I'm sensitive and was a dreadfully shy child .

[Cate in NZ]

I've not done the test yet, but I don't really know what to expect. In certain arenas I am very confident, yet I can mull over the vaguest slight for ages, wondering what I did wrong and what's wrong with me, when 98% of the time it's down to a misunderstanding or someone else's perspective....1% of the time it's simply not worth worrying about...and the rest I've had a genuine foot in mouth moment and inadvertently caused offence . I was very shy as a child, and still can be especially when confronted by large groups.

 

Edit to add, did it, and scored 11

Edited July 11, 2008 by Guest

[Mrs Frugal]

Yep, I do that too, Kate .

[Egluntyne]

You have echoed my thoughts there Kate.

 

I scored a 4, mainly because I don't like noise, and yet it said I was sensitive.

[chickenanne]

I think if you tell yousrself you're highly sensitive, or others do, and think of your reactions in those terms then you're almost forcing yourself to make those reactions. Same with any other description of yourself which you think is true.

I got 9, which is probably about right - I wouldn't say I was sensitive in terms of noise etc. at all.

[Lapinou]

I think if you tell yousrself you're highly sensitive, or others do, and think of your reactions in those terms then you're almost forcing yourself to make those reactions. Same with any other description of yourself which you think is true.

.

 

That's what I was trying to say

[Ana's flock]

I got 22...

 

...and yet I don't consider myself a shy person. I like to talk to anyone and everyone (just not all at once!).

 

When I was little I wasn't at all clingy either, in fact I'd go with the neighbour/mum's friend, aunt, to grannie's house at the drop of a hat. I'd get upset if my mum didn't let me go. (The thing is neither of them had children and, as I was a little chatterbox and - they said - I had 'interesting' conversation, so I got lots of undivided attention.)

 

I'm the youngest of 4 so at home it was always noisy, the little ones couldn't play with me as they tended to break my toys (OK, my toys were mainly made of plasticine!) or mess with my paints (little boxes of watercolours - and I got very upset if they mixed the colours and made them 'dirty').

 

Gosh - I was a nerd child!!! ('Was?')

 

There you go, another one to prove you can't 'label' people or predict behaviours based on a test. We're all different (some more 'different' than others, specially in this forum - that's why I love it!) Vive la difference!

[chelsea]

got 12,

 

Im sensitive though I feel, other peoples moods do affect me, Im a people pleaser aswell - so hate to think I've failed people, also very sensitive/emotional with sad films/music etc/

[MedusA]

I scored 16. I did suspect I would be classed as Highly Sensitive. Although I put on a confident front, inside I'm a shrinking violet and was always called "shy" by teachers etc. I hate new social situations and meeting new people for the first time. My confidence grows with familiarity.

 

Conversely, I have been told I can appear smug. Mainly by people who don't know the "real" me, so don't realise it's a front!

[chickencam]

I scored 11 but i didn't tick boxes that were similar to each other so it could be higher.

 

Noise and chaos is my big bug bear I have to slip away when the family are all together as does my son we both find too much noise hard to cope with.

 

I love loud music when I am alone but if I am cooking and there are other there too and there is music or tv blaring away I feel all wound up.

 

I hate having a big list of jobs and limited time but life is like that most of the time not helped by the amount of time i spend on here isnstead of doing my long list of jobs

 

I like to please and hate it if someone else is unhappy

[Seagazer]

I got 16 Oh dear, I'm not overly shy but I can't stand lots of noise and chaos - although I love a party and when the kids have their friends over!?! So what does that mean?

 

I like to think that I tune in to peoples moods quite easily and often realise that somebody is upset before they've even said anything. I think its a good thing although my hubby often says I get too emotionally involved although he is often emotionally cut off. But I think its brilliant that we are all different.

 

I think if I did this test on my kids they would all probably be highly sensitive as well but they've all got tons of friends and brilliant social lives. They are all sensitive to different chemicals etc. My daughter hated anything tight around her stomach, my son didn't like things tight around his neck (although bless him I think that could be a memory of having the cord around his neck twice!).

[Guest]

well, I'm afraid I ticked all the questions and scored 27, which might not be a surprise to some people

 

Ian says I am that Katherine Tate character that jumps at the slightest thing, do you know the one? He looks at me with a knowing look when it comes on.

 

My mum says I'm highly strung but she also said I've been a rock during dad's illness. I am good at dealing with big problems, it's the little things that seem to worry me. If there's something really serious going on, something in my brain takes over and I am quite good at dealing with them.

 

I'm very arty, particularly love poetry (writing and reading it).

 

I do try to overcome it (I've tried really hard at times and even seen my doc about being so sensitive, I don't want to be!) and I think I've got better since having the girls as you have to toughen up when dealing with ill/disabled chickens. Not that we've had a serious illness but the usual stuff, soft eggs etc and we have 1 disabled girl.

 

It's just who I am and you can't change who you are, can you, just deal with it as best you can? I like sensitive people who can appreciate a lot of the things on that list.

 

I'm not shy though, I have a wonderful hubbie and some really good friends, so I can't be all that bad

 

Anyway, i could go on but I'm starving so my mood and concentration is disrupted! Off for some food!

[BarbaraJ]

I got 16 i know that in some ways i am, if someone is upset and i think it could be my fault i stress about it, i hate not understanding something, hubby and kids say i think too much lol i should go with the flow but i cant

[dogs and chickens]

I scored 23 Mind you I hate noice, jump when people say hello to me in the street, feel weird when people knock on the door when I don't know who it is etc. So no surprise really .

 

Interesting though as I had always thought of myself as weird, but I guess I fit in with the sensitive group.

 

Hubby very sensitive as well. Bless!

[Snowy]

Hm, how to put this, when I know I am one of the most insensitive people around and very good at opening my mouth and putting my foot in it!

 

But it seems that some see being highly sensitive as a negative thing! And try not to be! That is sad - if that is what you are, then don't fight it, embrace it! As Poet said, you can't try to be something you are not so worrying about it is pointless. Make the most of being one of those lovely people who is in tune with the emotional subtleties of others and is aware that some things are harder for people to deal with. Does that make sense? There are lots of positive things about being a sensitive person! (and you are never likely to raise the wrath of your inlaws by cracking a joke at a funeral )

[Looney]

I scored 4, although I ummed and aahed about one of the statements which was partially true so perhaps I really scored 5.

 

Funny thing is that friends describe me as quite sensitive, but I think it is more because I am able to talk and listen to people and if (and only if) I am asked for an opinion I tend to be able to be completely honest without causing offence to their feelings.

 

On the other hand I have a wonderful ability to come out and say exactly what everyone is thinking and worry about the consequences later

 

We are who we are, all glorious people in our own ways and all of us with our different personalities

[gazpachodragon]

i wouldn't say i'm highly sensitive, but i do have a low tolerance threshold. so i don't get upset by stuff, but i do get really irritated by the smallest things.

[xScrunchee]

I got 25.

The only questions which I didn't tick were the one about caffine and being sensitive to pain

[xScrunchee]

Am very surprised to find out that all of my family (Mum, brothers and sister) scored between 3-6.

 

I thought they would score higher than that to be honest. Just goes to show that certain personality types are not always from upbringing and things. No wonder I have always felt different and they have spent 30 years looking at me like I'm an alien!!

My OH is the complete opposite to me and is completely INsensitive yet me and the children are very highly sensitive.

 

I am like the Catherine Tate character too Poet