Book SummaryThe Highly Sensitive Person, by Elaine Aron

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Highly Sensitive Person

In The Highly Sensitive Person, Elaine Aron explains how HSPs, or highly sensitive people, can use their sensitivity to their advantage and manage the difficult aspects of their trait. A highly sensitive person is someone who experiences a higher degree of sensitivity than the average person. HSPs often have high empathy, an ability to process things more deeply and discern subtleties, and a tendency to become overstimulated. She argues that this trait isn’t inherently good or bad, but that the HSP plays a vital role in society. She also discusses how to navigate the world as an HSP since many aspects of our society are geared...

The Highly Sensitive Person Summary What Does It Mean to Be a Highly Sensitive Person?

High sensitivity is a trait characterized by higher levels of sensitivity than are usually found in the general population, writes Aron. About one-fifth of people are highly sensitive. There are four major characteristics of an HSP:

1) The ability to process information very deeply

2) The ability to discern subtleties better than the average person

3) A high level of empathy and strong emotions

4) A tendency to become overstimulated.

We’ll examine the first three in this section, and we’ll look at overstimulation in the following section.

(Shortform note: Aron acknowledges that there is overlap between autism and the HSP trait but asserts that they are different. However, some experts argue that the HSP trait is just a specific way that autism can present, as both include things like high sensory sensitivity, having a rich inner life, and having intense reactions to beauty and art. They suggest that the main distinction made between HSPs and autistic people is the level of accommodations they need and that this isn’t a significant enough difference to classify the two as...

The Highly Sensitive Person Summary Where Does High Sensitivity Come From?

HSPs have existed throughout all of recorded history. Aron says high sensitivity probably developed as an evolutionary survival trait. Individuals who were more attuned to their environment and who were more likely to pause, take in their surroundings, and think through their actions gained a survival advantage and were able to help their groups survive better as well. Their tendency to learn from past experiences to inform their future actions also provided a survival advantage to themselves and their groups.

(Shortform note: Aron has added in other writing that HSPs were not only responsible for the survival of the human species in the past but are also essential for our survival in the future. She argues that HSPs are needed to observe and reflect on the actions of aggressive world leaders and to guide the species to choose cooperation over competition, which may become even more vital than it was during our earlier evolution.)

Aron says in all higher animal species, there are individuals that show traits of high sensitivity, but they make up a minority of the population. Aron suggests this is because...

The Highly Sensitive Person Summary The Drawback of Being a Highly Sensitive Person: Overarousal

While high sensitivity can come with great strengths, according to Aron, the only distinctly negative one of the four major traits of the HSP is the tendency to become overstimulated. HSPs are more sensitive to sensory stimuli, which makes them more susceptible to sensory overload due to overarousal.

According to Aron, arousal is the nervous system’s natural response to stimuli. It affects everyone differently, and it’s not necessarily good or bad. Everyone, HSP or not, functions best when they’re neither overaroused nor underaroused.

(Shortform note: To reduce the risk of experiencing sensory overload, it’s important to know what stimuli make you feel overwhelmed so you can avoid or minimize them. If you struggle in large crowds, for example, try arranging your schedule so...

The Highly Sensitive Person Summary How to Navigate Life as an HSP

As Aron explains, the world wasn’t built with HSPs in mind. Our modern environment is highly stimulating, and HSPs often struggle to meet society’s expectations for socializing, working, and recreation, all of which can lead to overarousal. Aron provides advice on how to meet these expectations while still protecting your sensitive self.

(Shortform note: Sometimes even existing in our modern world can be overstimulating for HSPs. To make this easier, HSPs can take certain measures like carrying earplugs with them, ordering takeout instead of eating in a crowded restaurant, and avoiding spending too much time reading the news or on social media.)

Personal Life

Aron explains that to function healthily in this world while still nurturing your sensitivity, you should treat your body like it’s an infant, tend to your unique needs, and avoid taking on harmful labels.

Treat Your Body Like an...

The Highly Sensitive Person Summary Ways to Deal With High Sensitivity

While high sensitivity isn’t a mental illness, we’ve seen how it can make life challenging, especially if you had a difficult childhood or are still struggling to adapt personally, socially, or professionally. Aron discusses some avenues for managing the aspects of your trait that you may be having difficulty with. These include reframing your experiences with an understanding of your trait, seeking help through various types of therapy, and medication.

(Shortform note: Sometimes high sensitivity is misdiagnosed as other mental health conditions, such as ADHD, borderline personality disorder, or bipolar disorder. This can lead the HSP to be put on treatment regimens that are unhelpful or even harmful to them. If you’ve had a diagnosis of a mental illness but suspect you may be an HSP, consult with your doctor before beginning treatment and, if necessary, educate them about high sensitivity so they can better understand your situation.)

Reframe Past Experiences in the Context of High Sensitivity

Many HSPs find they can benefit from mentally reframing their experiences with...

Shortform Exercise: Nurture Your Sensitivity

Aron explains how to understand and manage your high sensitivity. Use this information to better accommodate your sensitive self.

Consider Aron’s explanation of treating your body like an infant. What are some distress signals your body sends you when it needs your attention? For example, do you often feel dizzy or nauseated, or do you get frequent headaches?