I am what is termed a Highly Sensitive Person. It’s a temperant trait and something I was born with, just like an introvert is born that way, and is not a type of neuro-divergence. Between 10-30% of the population are estimated to have the High Sensitivity trait and it’s equal between males & females. 70% of HSPs are introverts, while I am in the 30% who are more extroverted though not in the traditional sense – I still, like all HSPs, needs lots of quiet down-time, so although I like to socialise I’ll be the one at 9pm saying I’m ready for home and my pjs 😆.

High Sensitivity is a type of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). What this means in practice is:

• I feel emotions more intensely, widely and deeply
• I have a rich inner world
• I am more empathic & intuitive than non-HSPs
• I can be easily overwhelmed by environmental stimuli, eg loud noises, background chatter, bright lights, lots of visual stimuli (I avoid supermarkets like my life depends on it & cut the labels out of all my clothes as they irritate my skin!)
• I am more sensitive to nuance and energy

In addition, I am what is termed a Somatic Empath. No, it’s not some kooky new age psychic ability, but in my particular case another bow to my Sensory Processing Sensitivity. When I see either a person or an animal in pain I also feel physical pain. Not the same pain as them, but I get short and intense electric shocks down both my legs which is really quite unpleasant. As a consequence I simply can’t watch films or documentaries where animals are killing to eat, or people are being blown up in wars or hurt in some way – it’s just too physically uncomfortable for me!

As an Empath, animals are naturally drawn to me. It’s been this way since I was a child and I now realise I have the ability to sometimes sense when animals are sick (I wish this worked with humans!). I haven’t eaten meat for 35 years, the reason being I couldn’t possibly murder then eat something I feel so closely connected to.

I’ve always felt ‘different’ from most people and was in my 50s when I learned I was HSP, intuitive and Empathic. The knowledge has been life changing in the literal sense that I’ve moved house and location and drastically altered the people I surround myself with, but also has finally allowed me to be fully accepting of myself and the unique gifts I bring to the world.

I feel like a butterfly, new emerged from the suffocating confines of my cocoon, ready to spread my amazingly strong, yet delicate, wings and fly (probably to the first sugary snack I can find 😉).