- [Narrator] Hello, Psych2Goers, welcome back.
Okay, so a highly sensitive person, or HSP,
isn't just someone who's really sensitive
but rather someone with a heightened central nervous system
that causes them to be more physically
and emotionally responsive to certain stimuli
or the things in their surroundings.
HSPs are attentive, empathetic, and creative.
However, just like anyone else,
HSPs also have some negative traits as well.
Keep in mind that this video serves as a general guidance,
purely for educational purposes,
and is not to be taken as a substitute
for professional advice or assistance
or as an attack on your character.
But with that said,
here are some of the more negative traits
of highly sensitive people.
Number one, HSPs are critical.
Being so in tune with their thoughts
and feelings makes HSPs pensive, deep thinkers,
but it can also cause them to be or seem critical
towards others and even towards themselves.
Generally, being critical isn't something HSPs purposefully
or intentionally do.
Because of their constant pondering
and deep processing of information,
they easily form different ideas and opinions in their head,
which they might choose to voice
in response to someone else's different ideas or opinions.
As for criticism aimed at themselves,
through all the time HSPs spend reflecting
and replaying memories in their heads,
it can be very easy for them to criticize themselves
for mistakes they've made or past actions they now regret.
Doing so can involve negative self-talk
and berating thoughts like,
"Oh, I should've done this instead,"
or "How stupid of me to do that!"
Number two, HSPs can be moody.
One of the most noticeable qualities
that HSPs have is their ability to feel emotions
on a deeper level than most.
While a non-HSP might not get too giddy
over seeing a butterfly,
an HSP might find themselves in awe
because its color is unique
or feel nostalgic because it reminds them of ones they used
to see a lot during their childhood.
However, on the flip side,
just as HSPs can feel positive emotions
more easily and deeply,
the same applies to negative emotions like sadness,
irritability, or guilt,
which they can fall victim to within seconds,
despite how they were feeling moments before.
Not to confuse or characterize them as being bipolar,
but because of their more sensitive, large-scaled emotions,
HSPs don't have the same emotional regulation
as most people.
Number three, HSPs are emotional sponges.
HSPs are people who are very emotionally responsive
to their environment and surroundings,
which includes other people's emotions as well.
Whether it's dealing with a boss
that woke up on the wrong side of the bed
or even simply being around someone
in a particularly bad mood,
other people's emotions can rub off on HSPs
and turn their mood sour as well.
This can be quite inconvenient and frustrating for HSPs
because it can completely ruin a good day.
This quality of being emotionally absorbent ties in
with their tendency to have quick changes in mood,
as other people's emotions can play a huge part
in dictating an HSP's current mood.
Number four, HSPs are easily overwhelmed.
Another weakness HSPs face due to their sensitivity
is that they're more prone to feeling overwhelmed
in situations.
These feelings can be caused by common everyday occurrences
like loud noises, receiving a large workload,
and even just being in a messy room.
Small stimuli like this can set off receptors
in an HSP's brain and become triggers for their stress,
making them feel mentally and even physically drained.
Signs of becoming overwhelmed
include a loss of concentration,
panic, a short temper, and headaches.
Feeling overwhelmed isn't always a storm
that's quick to pass for an HSP,
and it can become a bigger problem
when it disrupts productivity at school or work.
As a result, this change in pace for an HSP can lead
to feelings of inadequacy and guilt
for not being able to focus
or function as well as they want to,
and can even lead to burnout.
Number five, HSPs can have difficulty setting boundaries.
Setting boundaries in any relationship is a must,
whether it's our friendships or our romantic partner.
Boundaries allow us to draw the line
between what actions we are and aren't comfortable with
from other people.
However, for HSPs,
some may have difficulty setting and maintaining boundaries.
This is because HSPs are considerate,
but sometimes too much for their own good.
They're wary of other people's emotions
and are the type of people that wouldn't want to put others
in uncomfortable situations or hurt them
by speaking up about certain actions they do.
As a result, they may choose to sweep these actions
under the rug and avoid confronting other people's behavior
in order to keep the peace.
Keeping quiet about these problems can result in tension
within the relationship,
an HSP being taken advantage of,
and can lead to future arguments in the relationship
if their current concerns eventually evolve
into bigger problems.
And number six, HSPs can be insecure over their sensitivity.
We all know what it's like to be insecure.
Insecurity is a common human experience
that HSPs can also fall victim to,
particularly over how they are as a person
and over their quality of being more sensitive.
In short, HSPs can struggle with insecurity
for being a highly sensitive person.
And this might be because they've experienced humiliation
or being questioned for why they are the way they are,
especially if they showed signs of sensitivity
when they were younger.
As a result, it's common for HSPs to be negatively labeled
as emotional, quiet, or introverted.
Being questioned or criticized for their sensitivity
can make it seem like a flaw in character,
and this can manifest into an HSP's insecurity
or feeling like they don't belong,
which can impact their self-esteem
and follow them as they grow older.
So did this give you some insight
into the negative traits of an HSP?
Just as with all people, everyone has their strengths
and weaknesses that make up who we are.
For HSPs, their sensitivity
and attentiveness can be viewed as almost a sixth sense,
but can cause some downsides.
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Thanks so much for watching, and we'll see you next time.