Psychology: Are You A Dandelion, A Tulip or An Orchid? Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Sat Apr 2, 2022, 02:15 PM - Edit history (1)

- The Guardian, April 2, 2022. 'Are you anxious, introverted or just a ‘highly sensitive person’'? - Ed.

Kanye West and Lorde say they are HSPs. What’s the science behind this newly popular label for understanding our ability to process feelings? Do you find yourself noticing faint sensations that no one else can perceive? Are you startled easily? And is your mood easily swayed by the feelings of the people around you? If so, you may be a highly sensitive person (HSP), a personality profile that is of increasing interest to both scientists and armchair psychologists.

As an HSP myself, the trait is most obvious in my embarrassing squeamishness; at the merest hint of violence or pain on TV, I will reflexively cover my eyes with my hands. For other HSPs, their greater sensitivity may be especially evident in an intolerance of strong scents or bright lights, or great discomfort in large crowds. A host of celebrities – including Alanis Morissette, Kanye West, Nicole Kidman and Lorde – have come out as HSPs in the past few years, and the term is increasingly used in the pages of lifestyle magazines and self-help blogs.



High sensitivity is often presented as a key contributor to depression & burnout. “A lot of people still think of it in terms of risk & vulnerability,” says Prof Corina Greven of the Radboud University medical centre in the Netherlands. The truth, however, is more complicated. Both high & low sensitivity can have advantages & disadvantages – it all depends on the context. And with a bit of self-knowledge about our place on the spectrum, we can all learn to find the right coping mechanisms to make the most of our personality profile. Hysteria- The idea of a highly sensitive person may seem to recall 19th-cent. diagnoses of neurasthenia & hysteria, when “rest cures” were frequently prescribed for the overstimulated.

The modern interest in HSPs first took root in the mid-1990s, however, with the research of American psychologists Elaine & Arthur Aron. Their aim was to capture someone’s “sensory processing sensitivity” – their excitability in the face of physical, social or emotional stimuli. It didn’t matter whether the nature of the excitement was positive (through, for ex., an appreciation of beautiful art or a lively conversation) or negative (through heightened feelings of stress); the point was to learn how forcefully the central nervous system reacted to stimulation. To do so, the researchers designed a series of questions that could be answered on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely). The items included: - More,
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/apr/02/are-you-anxious-introverted-or-just-a-highly-sensitive-person

- Dandelions, tulips & orchids: evidence for the existence of low-sensitive, medium-sensitive & high-sensitive individuals
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-017-0090-6


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= Highly sensitive dog breeds: Tibetan Spaniels- Tibetan spaniels are small dogs that look like furry Pekingese & stand about 10" at the shoulder. They are regarded as great house pets. They are loving, comfortable hanging out on sofas & are sensitive to their owners moods. In Tibet & Nepal they are often referred to as “bedroom dogs” & are valued as family members & bearers of good luck. They also serve as watchdogs. **They have very sensitive hearing and are valued for sensing intruders first and alerting Tibetan mastiffs with their barking.
https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat6/sub36/entry-4443.html

[Chainfire]

1. I took one of those test

The results was that I was a Cocklebur.

[appalachiablue]

3. Cute, it takes all kinds.

[Backseat Driver]

5. I once purposely skewed a Meyers-Briggs test, LOL!

[Chainfire]

6. I took the MMPI once.

The reviewer, upon opening the package, scanned for a few second, screamed and ran from the room, never to be seen again. The office manager came out to give me a trespass warning...I never did get the results.

[Backseat Driver]

2. Cortisol (the fight or flight hormone), epigenetics, and the

microbiome...

[appalachiablue]

4. Yes. Managing stress & cortisol levels thru regular exercise:

- Cortisol: Why the "Stress Hormone” Is Public Enemy No. 1, Psychology Today, 2013.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1#:~:text=Chronic%20stress%20and%20elevated%20cortisol%20levels%20also%20increase%20one's%20risk,decreased%20resilience%20%E2%80%94%20especially%20in%20adolescence.

[Ron Obvious]

7. I'm a weed.

Full of hybrid vigour and difficult to eradicate.