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View Full Version : How many here are "highly sensitive people?"


izazen
04-08-2007, 02:32 PM
I bet most of us are!



Are You Highly Sensitive?

A Self-Test

Copyright, Elaine N. Aron, 1996

Instructions: Answer each question according to the way you personally feel. Check the box if it is at least somewhat true for you; leave unchecked if it is not very true or not at all true for you.

If you are a parent trying to eveluate your child, please use the test "Is Your Child Highly Sensitive?"
I am easily overwhelmed by strong sensory input.
I seem to be aware of subtleties in my environment.
Other people's moods affect me.
I tend to be very sensitive to pain.
I find myself needing to withdraw during busy days,into bed or into a darkened room or any place where I can have some privacy and relief from stimulation.
I am particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine.
I am easily overwhelmed by things like bright lights, strong smells,coarse fabrics,or sirens close by.
I have a rich,complex inner life.
I am made uncomfortable by loud noises.
I am deeply moved by the arts or music.
My nervous system sometimes feels so frazzled that I just have to go off by myself.
I am conscientious.
I startle easily.
I get rattled when I have a lot to do in a short amount of time.
When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating).
I am annoyed when people try to get me to do too many things at once.
I try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things.
I make a point to avoid violent movies and TV shows.
I become unpleasantly aroused when a lot is going on around me.
Being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me,disrupting my concentration or mood.
Changes in my life shake me up.
I notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, works of art.
I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once.
I make it a high priority to arrange my life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations.
I am bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes.
When I must compete or be observed while performing a task, I become so nervous or shaky that I do much worse than I would otherwise.
When I was a child, my parents or teachers seemed to see me as sensitive or shy.

If you wish to use this questionnaire for psychological research, you may, but we recommend that you use a 1 to 7 scale, from 1, "not at all," through 4, "moderately," to 7, "extremely" and the longer, 27-item version, found in the article, Elaine N. Aron and Arthur Aron, "Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and Its Relation to Introversion and Emotionality," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1997, Vol. 73, No. 2, 345-368.

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Last updated on February 15, 2007
Copyright © 1999-2007 Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. — All rights reserved.

tigger_gal
04-08-2007, 02:39 PM
thats pretty interesting. I only fall under 4 or 5 of the listed items.. I think the last years has made me a much stronget person.

izazen
04-08-2007, 02:46 PM
It describes me to a T - especially the strong "startle" response (I jump out of my skin if someone sneaks up on me) I hate loud noises and bright light/sunshine. Ugh!

Roxie2007
04-08-2007, 02:58 PM
Wow I fit quite a few of these also........interesting!

vm
04-08-2007, 03:41 PM
I gave a "yes" to about 11 of those. :lmao:

meme
04-08-2007, 04:06 PM
I'm a yes to 15 of them. Mostly the loud noises and too much going on around me part. Drives me insane to be in a loud room, I can't concentrate on any one particular voice so I end up just hearing a lot of noise. I've always known that I was a sensitive person.

beandip
04-08-2007, 04:30 PM
I definitely fit most of the qualities. My problem is that my sensitivities make me get extremely crabby, especially to unwanted smells and when others are not as careful about my feelings as I am about theirs. This is the downside.
:lmao:

Colleen

verdicries
04-26-2007, 04:40 AM
hmmm...i answered yes to a whopping 24 of those...:help:

sensitive?? just a bit!!

Berkshire Road
04-26-2007, 08:16 AM
Hmm, I have 23 yesses. But people who know me tend to say I'm a strong person. I don't think that strong and sensitive are opposites. The things that don't bother me are having people watch me work, or talking in front of a group. No problems with those. But those physical sensitivities -- lights, noise, crowds -- oh, those I have in abundance. And my daughter is the same way. Interesting.

Jana
05-23-2007, 12:55 PM
I would say yes to most of those and i would add that I do better when I stick to a routine as well. If you take me out of my element, then I tend to get frazzled fairly easily. I am sometimes overly-sensitive to things that I am not accustomed to.
....And sometimes other people say that I am easily paranoid about things if we're getting really honest here...

jenleigh
05-23-2007, 01:55 PM
Yes to all.

Trishann
05-23-2007, 04:54 PM
I think what really stuck out to me mostly are,

Having some privacy, always been like this. Radios, TV, phones, everythings goes off and everyone is out of the house or quiet. Just need that peace and quiet time alone.

Sending hugs, Trishann

born2swim
05-23-2007, 05:41 PM
This are the ones I identified with (especially the caffeine one, lound noises, avoid making mistakes, and the HUNGER one!)


I seem to be aware of subtleties in my environment.
Other people's moods affect me.
I am particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine.
I am made uncomfortable by loud noises.
I am conscientious.
When people are uncomfortable in a physical environment I tend to know what needs to be done to make it more comfortable (like changing the lighting or the seating).
I try hard to avoid making mistakes or forgetting things.
Being very hungry creates a strong reaction in me,disrupting my concentration or mood.
Changes in my life shake me up.
I notice and enjoy delicate or fine scents, tastes, sounds, works of art.
I am bothered by intense stimuli, like loud noises or chaotic scenes.