There are many ways of categorizing and labeling people based on different variables. Some people might hate the idea of being put inside a box. However, this is being done not to limit each person, but to increase understanding on human behavior.
Psychologists have invented several terms in order to describe us. There is one popular term that describes a certain population with qualities that are often associated with the shy and introverted. These are people who dislike loud noises and get perplexed when exposed to overwhelming stimuli, thus the label HSP or Highly Sensitive Person.
A highly sensitive person prefers to take things one at a time. Too many things to do in a short time annoys him. Also, with too much stimuli going around his environment, he finds the need to retreat to a quiet place in order to relieve too much stress.
After learning about HSP, I immediately know that I too belong to that population. Whenever I get home from work, the first thing I do is to go inside my room. No TV or radio is turned on. I find it necessary to spend at least a few minutes of quiet time in order to restore my energy. Too much loud noises stress me.
Because of the easily stressed HSPs, they are often viewed as highly anxious and even neurotic. This often lead the HSPs to believe that they are abnormal, when in fact, 20-30% of the entire population belong to this category. Despite some setbacks that HSPs may have, they also have great qualities that could be considered a gift.
For one, an HSP has the ability to sense other people's feelings. He knows how to make people comfortable within their environment. The mood of others greatly affect him. Being very sensitive, the person also takes great pleasure in arts and music.
If you want to know whether you're an HSP or not, here's a self test to find out.
For more information, you might want to read Elaine N. Aron's bestelling book, The Highly Sensitive Person. Available on Amazon Stores.
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