The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You

This may be the best book I have read in years. Maybe a decade. I was a year and a half into a very stressful job with a bully boss when I found this book -- I'd heard about it for years but thought the title sounded girlie and wimpy so I hesitated to read it. I don't like gooey, emotional, sappy stuff. Well guess what... no sap here. Or at least so little sap that a person who doesn't like sappy didn't really notice. Instead I found a smart, astute, science-based book which explained to me why I was slowly dying at my job, why I could not sleep at night, and why I was so stressed at work that I literally could not stomach my sandwich at lunch but would almost throw it up every day (but I could eat at home) -- I was operating at a level of physical stress which was impossible for a highly sensitive person to sustain, and yet I was somehow sustaining it. (I am very stubborn.) Once I actually looked at myself, looked at my actual situation, stopped blaming myself for being "weak" and "broken" and "not tough enough" and stopped trying to be what I am not, I saw clearly that I was ignoring my physical body's symptoms of extreme stress and hurting myself bad. Reading this was a wake up call at a time in my life when I really needed it, and gave me enough confidence to finally stand up to my impossible to please, bullying, manipulative boss and just quit. I am going back to school and retraining to become a software developer so that I can work in an environment that won't kill me. Not everyone is the same; everyone has different physical tolerances. If you find yourself "too sensitive" etc, give yourself a break. You are not a clone of the extrovert next to you. Pay attention to your body and read this book. IF YOU ARE AN EXTROVERT, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. If you are NOT highly sensitive, please read this book!!! I wish to God every human being would read this book so people could finally start understanding each other, and society in general would stop hurting those among them who are not built with the same nervous system that the 80% majority of humanity has!!!! This has nothing to do with race boundaries, religion, nationality... this is all about pure genetics and how our species (in fact how over 100 species on this planet) function. It's ground breaking work.

Wonderful read, very relatable and illuminating.

The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is a concept coined by psychologist Elaine Aron to describe individuals who possess a heightened sensitivity to stimuli, both physical and emotional. This sensitivity can lead to a range of challenges, including feeling overwhelmed by crowds, noise, or intense emotions. In her book, 'The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You,' Aron provides a comprehensive exploration of this trait. She draws on her extensive research and clinical experience to offer practical strategies and insights for HSPs to navigate their unique experiences. Key Features: * Comprehensive Understanding: Aron provides a thorough explanation of the HSP trait, its characteristics, and the challenges it presents. * Practical Strategies: The book offers a wealth of practical tips and techniques for HSPs to manage their sensitivity, cope with stress, and create a more fulfilling life. * Self-Care and Boundaries: Aron emphasizes the importance of self-care and setting boundaries to protect HSPs from sensory overload and emotional exhaustion. * Support and Validation: The book provides a sense of validation and support for HSPs, helping them understand that their sensitivity is not a flaw but a strength. * Case Studies and Personal Narratives: Aron includes real-life examples and personal narratives from HSPs, offering a relatable and inspiring perspective. Benefits: * Increased Self-Awareness: HSPs gain a deeper understanding of their unique trait and how it affects their lives. * Improved Coping Mechanisms: The practical strategies provided help HSPs develop effective ways to manage their sensitivity and reduce overwhelm. * Enhanced Resilience: By learning how to navigate their challenges, HSPs can build their resilience and thrive in an often overwhelming world. * Reduced Stress and Anxiety: The techniques in the book help HSPs reduce stress, anxiety, and sensory overload, promoting a more balanced and fulfilling life. * Connection with Others: The book provides a sense of community for HSPs, helping them connect with others who share their experiences. Conclusion: 'The Highly Sensitive Person' is an invaluable resource for individuals who identify as HSPs. Aron's comprehensive approach provides a deep understanding of this trait, practical strategies for coping, and a sense of validation and support. By embracing their sensitivity, HSPs can unlock their potential and create a fulfilling life in a world that often feels overwhelming.

a bit pedantic but worth wading through. i was prompted to buy the book by a video on the subject and author. it's comforting to know i'm among good company. hooray for us.

This particularly book was the panacea of "new beginnings" for my son and me! Both of us--being "highly sensitive"--had suffered (yes, SUFFERED!) through daily life...without understanding that truly there IS a category in human nature that delineates "the highly sensitive person" from others in this world. But, finding this book had the effect of COMPLETELY CHANGING OUR LIVES...and gave us a new-found sense of "self-acceptance" that we had never known. The author succinctly points out the significant "differences" in these two "categories" in a practical and easy way, further including information of "how to" live in a world that is, generally, less sensitive. Even though the author is a psychologist, the book is written in "every day terms"...making it easy to understand...even if the reader is not trained as a clinician. I found it to be an enormously valuable book, addressing a subject which I had never found before...yet, one that proved to be one of the most useful books I have ever found on the subject! If YOU are a noticeably "sensitive person" who has found the rest of the world to be "a difficult place" which seemingly is filled with much LESS SENSITIVE PEOPLE than yourself (or a loved one)...If you tend to chide yourself for being "overly sensitive" and/or having an unusually "fragile nature," wherein others appear to misunderstand you...Or, if you are a person who is interested in helping others with such traits to function more securely and confidently in the world...then, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!! Reading and understanding the "wisdom" found in this book...is one of the BEST THINGS that can ever happen to individuals who "don't seem to FIT" in this world...due to their exquisitely "tender" feelings and reactions...or, such was the case for my son and me. And, I continue to "study" its contents as a means of reassurance that my own nature--though different from the majority of others--is still "acceptable" (and even laden with unusual "gifts" that can often benefit others) in a less-sensitively perceived world!

I found a lot of insightful and worthwhile information in this book. I appreciate the author's efforts to study and bring to light a relatively lesser-known and often misunderstood topic. However, I think the book's credibility could be enhanced by omitting many of the "never" or "always" sorts of claims that overgeneralize and mislead. I also noted a few contradictory attitudes or themes that introduced some confusion and seemed to conflict with the book's supposed purpose of increasing self-understanding and self-acceptance. For example, the author states that "most HSPs need to be more extraverted in order to become more whole" or "for a while we are introverted, then must become extraverted to balance it," yet also insists "I don't, however, want to develop some idealized image of a certain kind of HSP you must become. That is precisely not liberation. It is finding who you are, not what you think someone else wants you to become" and "the point of full personhood...it this: that whoever finds out what is, for him, good and holds fast to it becomes whole." Competing positions such as these tend to undermine the premise that such personal traits are neither pathological nor inferior. It is especially ironic when considering statements in the book such as "be aware of your culture's bias against shyness, quietness, introversion, and the like. Watch for it in yourself..."

Great book to learn about yourself. I have ADHD and since having a baby, I have become very sensitive. I know hormones take a part in that as well. This taught me a lot about myself and how to manage being hypersensitive. There is also one on being in a relationship as a hypersensitive person loving a non-hypersensitive person but also how to love someone who might be as equal hypersensitive as you are. She breaks down her research and you get insight from everyone's point of view, how you see the world differently and how you navigate the world. There is also a workbook with this one, I didn't get a chance to purchase it with this.

One of the most valuable things I read in my life. If you are struggling with sensibly, this book feels like it’s about you. I recommend it if you are the sensitive type. It will explain in details what is going on your head so you can label things when they happen. This way it helps to anticipate these feelings rather than simply having to deal with them when they occur and be devastated by them. I wish I read it earlier.

A very great book . You can know more about your trait and those who don't know why are they different from other also. This book is very helpful for you to know yourself . Everything is written in a very descriptive way. Each chapter is different and provide you answer to your every thought if you are highly sensitive person.

I always knew I was different. But never knew I was a highly sensitive person. A must read!! Clears up alot of questions you've probably lived with your whole life. Just knowing you're different.

This is an amazing book. It explains me in a comprehensive way that no other book on my self-help journey has quite been able to. Not only am I highly sensitive, I am also score highly on sensation seeker traits. This explains a lot. I found the book to be so on the mark and insightful it was at times uncomfortable. Like many highly sensitive people, I have attempted to deny my sensitivity due to being told off for it as a child and people trying to correct it out of me or put me down for it like I was doing it on purpose and like it was something I was able to change. This book is very supportive and gives practical tips on how to handle the prejudice people like me have and do face in a non-highly sensitive culture. The only trouble for me with it was that even though the author promotes the good qualities inherent in the trait, I did find it hard to deal with the fact that I cannot ever change this about myself. I know it's all about self acceptance... but having pretended not to be so sensitive all my life, felt like it was something to deny if 'accused' of being that way... and being brought up to believe I could change this about myself... well it's made me feel a bit bleak in spite of the author's positivity about the specialness of the trait. On the one hand it's good to know that there is nothing wrong with me. But on the other hand I think I preferred thinking there was something wrong with me because that gave me hope that I could be fixed. Anyway, I thought others should be aware of that possibility in reading the book, not to put them off reading it, but instead to prepare them that they may need good support from loving caring people around them while coming to terms with certain key ideas in the book. Having said all that, I think it was essential reading in my case. I also found it so useful and good to read that I immediately bought the author's other book The Highly Sensitive Person In Love. I feel like these books are giving me what I kept trying to get from my mother, who loves me very much but is not highly sensitive herself and has been baffled by my troubles through life and despite her desire to help has not been able to offer me advice that works for me or relates to my experience of life. This book has been a Godsend from that point of view. I wish I had been told that I was hyper-sensitive, etc by people who didn't tell me off for it or always mention it as a negative thing. I wish I had read these books when I was 18 and starting to feel a bit alienated from people, I think it would have saved me from a lot of heartache and also from a breakdown I had at that time due to living as if I wasn't highly sensitive. It would have helped me have confidence in refusing to do things that are easy for non-highly sensitive people but traumatic to someone like me. This book heals all the times when I suffered and was told by people around me that I was over-reacting or exaggerating and not helped at times when I needed it the most as a result, simply because my experience differed from theirs in similar situations. If anyone has ever called you hyper-sensitive (*and especially if they have ever called you 'too-sensitive' which is even more critical and rejecting) then you need to read this book. Think of it this way, it's as if you are a cat who has been raised by dogs right now. You need to know that you are a cat, not a loser-dog. It's time to start rewarding our own strengths and appreciating ourselves and to stop trying to pretend we are the same as non-sensitive types despite all the pressure on us to conform to that ideal... or we can all just move to Sweden :-)

Very delayed shipping over a month. I almost cancelled this book. Lucky to them I really needed it. Seller replies so late on shipping follow up. Book material was so thin papercopy it is! I am happy with the content of the book though. Price is reasonable same as other books i bought. Lots of information and knowledge learned about HSP.

Highly recommended!