Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am / someone else is Highly Sensitive?
First, consider whether you/they have all of these four characteristics of High Sensitivity:
- Depth of processing - considering things deeply; taking time to make new decisions; being reflective
- Emotionality - feeling things deeply/intensely; being affected by others' emotions as well as your own; you cry/laugh/feel the beauty of a movie like it's really happening, for example.
- Being sensitive to subtle stimuli - picking up on things that aren't so obvious to most people; noticing people's expressions/body language; 5 senses more open to input, so you hear, feel (touch), see, smell and taste subtleties or many more levels of difference than others; you don't need much of a push to notice something.
- Being easily overstimulated - due to all the above, your ideal space of stimulation fills up more quickly than non-sensitive persons, with the result that you become overstimulated seemingly more easily and quickly than most others. * This is a really obvious aspect of High Sensitivity, one that others notice easiest - but it's only one part. If someone has this and not the other characteristics, it's not enough to determine High Sensitivity.
People with autism are also easily overstimulated by external input. Are autism and High Sensitivity related?
No. The research consistently shows that ASD and High Sensitivity are unrelated things. The way people's brains and nervous systems work in each are very different. There are several disorders/conditions in which overstimulation is common, but it's not a defining characteristic on its own (High Sensitivity is not a disorder, but shares this characteristic with some). The reasons which lead to being easily overwhelmed by stimuli are different for autism and HS. If you want to learn more about this topic, there are several articles at hsperson.com/faq. For example, hsperson.com/faq/hs-or-asd. I've also written an article for Linked In about misconceptions, which includes this one.
how long have you been doing this?
I'm new! I've been developing this idea for a little while, and I believe that it's the right time - in our society and for me - to make it a reality.
How long does the consultation process take?
A full consultation will take approximately one week (overall - this doesn't mean 8 hours every day for 5 days at your workplace, or even consecutive days. We'll work that out). It depends on the organisation - their schedule and processes, as well as their size and complexity. For example, I need to observe a meeting or two, so that needs to happen on a day when meetings are scheduled. A more complex organisation will have more information to evaluate and create recommendations for; more departments to look at, etc., which means a longer process. Some of the work involved over this time period occurs in your workplace (observation, evaluations, conversations, etc.), and some at mine (preparation, analysis, choosing recommendations, etc.).
what sort of changes are you talking about - will we need to change a lot, and will it be expensive or difficult?
This is best discussed during the contracting stage, because it depends on the workplace. Overall, the changes I'm talking about are things like different lighting choices, partitioning areas for different purposes, offering private or semi-private spaces, adjusting break practices (times, duration, location), renovating meeting practices, adjusting feedback processes, offering flexibility in how work is performed, and so on. This really depends on the purpose of the organisation, its size and complexity, what's currently working and not, and the scope that leaders are prepared to take. My recommendations are an invitation to the organisation. There are different levels of action, and I'll provide a few options that you can choose from, depending on how far you want to go/ your budget/ what's physically possible.
High sensitivity and introversion - are they the same?
Short answer: no. Longer answer: Introversion is a function of personality, made popular by the Myers-Briggs framework - which was based on Carl Jung's theories of personality. It's a particular way of looking at personality, and not one which everyone accepts or agrees on - but quite useful, as you can tell by how many of us use those terms. This is a good explanation of what Jung actually meant by 'introversion' and 'extroversion'. A lot of things do tend to get added to what people understand by those terms, which are in fact part of other things, like temperament, as well as the other 4 main aspects of personality that Jung analysed.
High Sensitivity is a temperament; there are some overlaps with personality, but they're separate things. Both are innate, although personality also develops and changes over time. Temperament can be understood as more foundational, with personality built on top. Introversion and extroversion classify a person's primary focus - towards the inner or outer world. Temperament might be described as how a person interprets, processes and responds to both of those worlds, in all facets - mentally, emotionally and physiologically. While many Highly Sensitive people are also introverted (to some extent), approximately 30% are extroverted.
As long as someone has the 4 characteristics of High Sensitivity (see Question 1 above), then regardless of their personality, that's their temperament. This means there are many variations in personality possible among Highly Sensitive people, and we all have various other influences on who we are, including upbringing, culture and life experiences. As an example, a HS person who grew up in a stable home with parents who responded effectively to their temperament, will as an adult display quite different things to a HS person who grew up in a chaotic, stressful home where they were ridiculed for their differences.
For an even longer answer, see this article by Jacqueline Strickland. And this is a very interesting article I came across, by Scott Barry Kaufman. All about how introversion gets misinterpreted a lot; mixed up with other aspects of personality, such as intellect/ideas (which is a strong aspect for HS people).
High Sensitivity is a temperament; there are some overlaps with personality, but they're separate things. Both are innate, although personality also develops and changes over time. Temperament can be understood as more foundational, with personality built on top. Introversion and extroversion classify a person's primary focus - towards the inner or outer world. Temperament might be described as how a person interprets, processes and responds to both of those worlds, in all facets - mentally, emotionally and physiologically. While many Highly Sensitive people are also introverted (to some extent), approximately 30% are extroverted.
As long as someone has the 4 characteristics of High Sensitivity (see Question 1 above), then regardless of their personality, that's their temperament. This means there are many variations in personality possible among Highly Sensitive people, and we all have various other influences on who we are, including upbringing, culture and life experiences. As an example, a HS person who grew up in a stable home with parents who responded effectively to their temperament, will as an adult display quite different things to a HS person who grew up in a chaotic, stressful home where they were ridiculed for their differences.
For an even longer answer, see this article by Jacqueline Strickland. And this is a very interesting article I came across, by Scott Barry Kaufman. All about how introversion gets misinterpreted a lot; mixed up with other aspects of personality, such as intellect/ideas (which is a strong aspect for HS people).