Member-only story
If the World is Just Too Loud
…you might be a Highly Sensitive Person
My neighbor bought a new stereo and it’s loud. Booming bass, can’t-hear-myself-think loud. I think anyone would find it bad but what makes it particularly so for me is that I’m a Highly Sensitive Person — one of the 15–20% of people whose nervous systems process emotions and physical sensations deeply. My neighbor finds the volume of his music invigorating; I find it completely overwhelming.
The whole world feels dialed-up when you’re a highly sensitive person. People shout to hear themselves in restaurants, cars rattle past in a continuous stream, electronics hum, beep and whir…even in quiet areas, there’s never complete silence.
High Sensitivity (or Sensory-Processing Sensitivity — it’s scientific term) is a normal trait that around 1 in 5 of us are born with. (It’s not a disorder or a sign of weakness.)
Highly Sensitive People:
- Process emotions, thoughts, and their environment deeply.
- Get overstimulated more easily.
- Have high empathy/ very tuned into emotions.
- Are sensitive to subtleties — notice small details that others might not.
