Highly sensitiv personality or emapth?

I thought I should write something about being a empath or an highly sensitive person. I’m not quite sure what the different is. I fit quite well in both categories. Actually I kind of believe that the accepted term of a highly sensitive personality in physiological circles is in some way the legit form of calling someone an empath. In my mind they are somewhat the same thing. I know many people don’t agree with me on this, but I still choose to see the two as one. I don’t like to put myself in either category.  There is some definitions on what a highly sensitive person is, this is wikipedia’s version:

 "A highly sensitive person (HSP) is a person having the innate trait of high sensitivity (or innate sensitiveness as Carl Gustav Jung originally coined it). According to Elaine N. Aron and colleagues as well as other researchers, highly sensitive people, which would represent about a fifth of the population, process sensory data much more deeply and thoroughly due to a biological difference in their nervous systems. This is a specific trait with key consequences that in the past has often been confused with innate shyness, inhibitedness, innate fearfulness, introversion, and so on. The existence of the trait of innate sensitivity was demonstrated using a test that was shown to have both internal and external validity."

But here are some telltale signs of being an highly sensitive person, with my description on how it works for me under. But remember, what is true for me, may not be true for someone else.  

 

1.       Can you hear things others cannot, especially high-pitched sounds?

 

- I can’t stand high pitch noises, bangs or loud music. Simply having the tv on to loud annoys me. Even worse is if people make repetitive noises, like tapping a pen, picking on something or tapping a foot up and down. I can stand it for a little while, but I cannot ignore it. It creeps up under my skin, building up more and more irritation to the point where I have to make them stop no matter how. It doesn’t even have to be people making the noises, light fixtures or something else that makes to others low key noises, can make me go crazy.  Strangely I love listening to loud music by myself, or in my car. Maybe because music I chose my self focuses my emotions in one direction, and I put it on loud to drown out others sounds. I sometimes even put on specific music, to give myself specific emotions – or to unleash emotions.  But really loud noises actually gives me physical pain, it hurts my ears to the point where I have to cover them. In concerts I always have to wear ear plugs. Funny enough I enjoy target practice at the gun range – but only with hearing protection gear on.   

2.       Do you notice smells that others miss?

 

- Nice smells I don’t seem to pick up better than others, but the not so nice smells. I’m sadly somewhat super tuned to them.  Some perfumes that are subtle don’t cause any problems for me, but really strong smells – they make me flinch.  So needless to say, I don’t visit perfume shops more than necessary.  Tax free shops at airports are my own personal hell sometimes. I don’t especially like strong smells of food either, it depends a little on if I have relation to that food or not.  And body odors, don’t even get me started.  

3.       Do you know what other people need before they ask?

- Oh yes, my intuition is my own special super power. Although I sometimes feel like the perfect waiter, always having on hand what people need being it material stuff or emotional something. I don’t actually think about it, I just know. It like it’s programmed so deep inside, that I don’t actually need to think about it so much. I actually like to challenge myself from time to time, and try and figure out what makes me know. Half the time I’m not able to figure it out. So it open for debate, if it’s just that I’m so freaking good at reading other peoples body language, change in tone and subtle hints in what they say, or that I know because I feel what they feel.  I do know that I overanalyze everything sometimes. I can pick a situation to bits and pieces days – even years after it happened, trying to understand what actually happened and why. I usually end up blaming myself in some way or another

But sometimes it has to be that I know because I feel what they feel. There is no other way for me to explain that I can get an overwhelming sense that someone needs something (like a friend, or cheering up), without even having talked to them in a while.

 

  

4.       Do you notice the flicker on older computer screens or older fluorescent fixtures?
- Flickering lights don’t get to be on for long when I’m around. It bugs me.

 

5.       Do you get “overwhelmed” by joy when you experience great beauty: A beautiful sunset, an incredible musical performance, the smile of your child?

 

-          Absolutely, especially if it catches me of guard. I can catch myself feeling an overwhelming feeling of bliss, and standing there with a goofy smile on my face, without anyone else seeming to notice. Music, tv and movies also does this to me. With my guard down, I have my feelings on the outside – it’s showing on my face like an open book.

 

 

6.       Do you feel threatened or uneasy in large crowds or big cities?

 

- I like going to the city sometimes, but I always feel thankful when I get home that I don’t live in the city.

Too much hassle, too much people, too much input to process. I don’t like going to the mall at busy days either. Shopping before Christmas can turn me into a not so nice stressed out mad woman – all the people and all the nagging.

 

7.       Do you have “emotional radar” that picks up on what others are feeling?

 

- Ever heard about the elephant in the room? I pick up on it every time there is an elephant there.  Doesn’t matter if it has been an argument, a secret or something else that has evoked some great emotions – I know.  And the feelings – it’s the same as the intuition.  But I absolutly hate figthing with people, the anger and bad feelings in the room make me sick. So I tend to do everything I can to make things right again.

 

8. Do you pick up physical symptoms from other people?

-  This doesn’t happen to me very often. But when it does, I’m baffled. Someone has told me I have unused healing powers, I don’t know about that but something fishy happens sometimes.

 

9.       Does reading or hearing about bad news have a dramatic impact on your mood?

-  I’m a news junkie. I have to know what’s going on in the world and it worries me greatly. When things get to overwhelming I have to stop reading about it. For example I can’t cope with wars, disasters and accidents that involve many people. I read the headlines and maybe look at the pictures, but I don’t read the text. It don’t know why I can’t after a while, but it’s like my body is telling me it’s enough. 

10. If you see a bad car accident does it affect you for the entire day?
- Check! Plus I try to decipher what happened, the mechanisms. Strangely I enjoy watching shows about accidents and emergencies, but only in order to understand what’s caused it. In some way it gives me peace to understand.  

 

11.   Have you been diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and/or do you experience a noticeable drop in your energy and mood during the winter?

-          Every year.

 

12.    Have you ever had a transcendent or mystical experience?
Highly sensitive people are naturally more open to experiences of bliss, ecstasy and spiritual awakening.

 

- This is not something I usually broadcast, but I believe I can sense when there is spirits in the room or building – and if they are good or bad. Sometimes even if they are male or female. And I strongly believe there is something more between heaven and earth then we know. Such as mind over matter, and healing.

 

13.   Do you have a strong reaction when you drink caffeine or when you attempt to stop?

 

- No not actually, not that I know of. Not unless I drink way too much, but that happens to everyone.

 

14.   Do you have food sensitivities or allergies?

 

- It’s miracle I’m not allergic to myself. And I’m so picky on what I eat. Strong tastes are a no go. And I seem to taste things other people don’t.  Vinegar in ketchup par example.

15. Do you have allergies or asthma?
- Yes…..

 

16. Are you a “lightweight?”
- I can’t seem to hold my drink. But I’m an excellent faker.

 

17. Are you sensitive to over-the-counter, prescribed or illegal drugs?
- Yes.

 

18. If you have ever had surgery, did it take longer to recover from the effects of the anesthesia than from the surgery itself?
- Never tried.

 

19. Is being in a calm, peaceful environment very important for you?

- Absolutely, my house needs to be calm without bold colors. My favorite place in the house are the bathroom, sauna or in bed. Calm and stress free places. And I have to be close to nature so that I can seek grounding when I need to unwind.  And I’m a notorious stress cleaner and declutterer, organizing calms me down. It’s something I think both my colleagues and hubby appreciates. Even though he does find it a bit embarrassing when I start organizing shelf’s in shops while we wait in line.   

20. Do you get claustrophobic when you spend too much time indoors?
- Yes, I don’t like it. It makes me restless, irritated and sometimes even a bit mean. But being mean makes ride the guilt train afterwards.

 

21. Is it important for you to spend time alone?

- It’s mandatory. I need my alone time every day. It makes me uneasy if I don’t get it. Doesn’t really matter what I do, as long as I’m by myself and don’t have to talk to anyone. I need to sort my head out, and not at least all the input. Night time is the best part of the day – the world is quiet. Working out also gives me time to stress down and get my head on straight.

22. Do you experience dramatic mood swings, sometimes for no apparent reason?

- Happens all the time. It doesn’t scare me most of the time. Only time it freaked me out was when I tapped into a really high person (bi polar) and suddenly became as high and uneasy. Let’s just say that working in psychiatric wards wasn’t my thing.

23. Do you know when people are lying to you?
- I feel like a walking talking lie detector sometimes. I also sense when people are hiding something. I can’t always explain why I feel like they are lying or hiding something, I just know something is off. And I see the world in a kind of black or white (with some greyish zones), either I like you or I don’t. And if I feel like you are hiding something, you get on my shit list. I don’t like when people do me wrong either, or someone I love. If you do that, I won’t trust you for a long time.

I you wonder if you are a highly sensitiv person or an empath - here are some more to read.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roya-r-rad-ma-psyd/highly-sensitive-people_b_1286508.html

http://www.hsperson.com/pages/test.htm

http://www.empathtest.com/

I score high in both tested on HSP and empath - so maybe I'm both? I don't know......