The Highly Sensitive Person: When You Feel Everything More Deeply
Do you notice subtle changes in people’s moods?
Feel overwhelmed by noise, crowds, or strong emotions?
Need more downtime than others to recover from stress?
You may be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).
Being highly sensitive is not a flaw or a diagnosis—it is a nervous system trait. About 15–20% of people are born with a more finely tuned nervous system that processes information deeply. This means you notice more, feel more, and are impacted more by your environment.
This concept was first identified and named by psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron, whose research in the 1990s brought attention to this innate temperament. She found that sensitivity is a biological trait found across cultures—and even across species.
This can be a gift—and it can also be exhausting.
What Is a Highly Sensitive Person?
Highly Sensitive People tend to:
Feel emotions deeply
Pick up on others’ moods and energy
Become overwhelmed by noise, conflict, or chaos
Need time alone to recharge
Think and reflect deeply
Feel pain, beauty, and meaning intensely
Your nervous system isn’t broken—it is highly responsive.
The challenge is not your sensitivity.
The challenge is learning how to care for it.
When Sensitivity Turns Into Overwhelm
Without support, HSPs may experience:
Anxiety and emotional overload
People-pleasing or difficulty with boundaries
Self-criticism for being “too much”
Burnout from trying to keep up
Many HSPs grow up believing something is wrong with them. In reality, they have simply been using survival strategies for a nervous system that needs gentler care.
How DBT Can Help Highly Sensitive People
DBT is especially powerful for HSPs because it teaches nervous system regulation, emotional understanding, and self-compassion.
Here’s how DBT supports sensitive nervous systems:
Mindfulness – notice emotions and sensations without being overwhelmed
Emotion Regulation – understand and respond instead of shutting down or exploding
Distress Tolerance – get through intense moments without making things worse
Interpersonal Effectiveness – set boundaries and protect your energy
Sensitivity Is Not Weakness
Highly sensitive people are often deeply empathetic, intuitive, creative, and caring. With the right tools, sensitivity becomes a strength instead of a burden.
DBT doesn’t try to change who you are.
It helps you learn how to live well in the nervous system you were given.
A Gentle Reminder
You are not too much.
You are just tuned in.
And with support, your sensitivity can become one of your greatest gifts.
