An odd thing happens when I walk into a store. I start to get anxious, my heart beats faster, and a strange sense of dread wraps around me like someone dimmed the world by two shades. I want to get out—immediately. It’s sort of like walking into a small room where massive speakers are blasting music I can’t hear, only feel. Just pure vibration.

This sensation triples in intensity in IKEA, for reasons that probably require a team of scientists. How do people not walk out of that store with an anxiety disorder?! The moment I step outside into the parking lot, though, everything just…settles. Like how the particles settle after vigorously shaking a snow globe.

Some people walk through life like emotional sponges. They absorb every feeling in the room whether they want to or not. If that sounds familiar, you might be—like me—a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). And no, it doesn’t mean you’re “fragile” or “dramatic”. It means your nervous system is finely tuned, like a crystal glass or…a crystal violin? A crystal tuning fork?

The point is, highly sensitive people feel deeply, think thoroughly, and notice things most others miss. It’s not a flaw—it’s a feature. An occasionally exhausting feature, yes, but still a feature.

1. You don’t just notice details—you absorb them.

Someone walks into the room two percent moodier than usual? You clock it instantly.
A friend says they’re “fine” but their eyebrow twitches in that very specific way? You know they’re absolutely not fine.

HSPs pick up micro-cues the way most people pick up major plot twists. You can sense tension before anyone speaks it out loud, which is helpful…until you start feeling stressed about a problem that technically isn’t yours.

If this is you: congratulations, you’re the unofficial emotional weather forecaster for your friend group.

2. Loud noises, bright lights, and chaos are your kryptonite.

You’re not being “extra.” Your nervous system just prefers low, ambient-volume settings.

Crowded malls, blaring sirens, chaotic workplaces, last-minute surprises—these drain you faster than your phone on 20% battery at midnight.

And you don’t hate fun. You just need fun that doesn’t feel like being inside a pinball machine.

3. You feel emotions in HD.

When something is beautiful—like a sweet, aching violin melody—you feel it.

When something is painful, you really feel it.

And when something sad happens in a movie? Well, you’re going to need a moment. Possibly several.

Being an HSP means your emotional world runs deep—joy, sorrow, awe, nostalgia, gratitude. You feel things more deeply than other people. If they’re emotions were a pond, yours would be an ocean.

4. You need recovery time after… everything.

HSPs need “buffer space” between events. Not because they’re weak, but because overstimulation is real.

Had a tough conversation? You need a few hours to recover. Big social event? You need to block off the next two weekends for “me time.” Unexpected conflict? You might just cancel your evening plans.

If you come over to my place for a dinner party and games, I don’t want to see you again for a month. Nothing against you—it’s just…a lot.

Think of it as emotional processing time your brain genuinely needs.

5. You think before you act… and then think again.

HSPs analyze deeply. This is not overthinking (okay, sometimes it is). But most of the time, it’s a thoughtful, rich inner world that helps you see multiple angles before choosing a path.

You’re the person people come to for perspective—because you actually have some.

6. You connect deeply or not at all.

Surface-level friendships? Meh. Small talk? You’ll tolerate it for about 60 seconds. Meaningful conversations about purpose, feelings, or “why people are so annoying?” Now you’re alive.

HSPs bond intensely with a few people rather than lightly with many. It’s quality over quantity, every time.

7. You avoid conflict, but not because you’re a pushover.

Conflict hits HSPs like a full-body experience. Raised voices aren’t just “loud”—they feel invasive. Harsh tones? Instant stomach drop.

You’re not afraid to speak up; you just prefer doing it without turning the room into a medieval battle scene. That’s why you may feel the urge to shut things down quickly or walk away—it’s simply too much, too fast. Once your internal alarm system settles, you’re fully capable of having a real conversation.

But when you’re dealing with someone who treats debate like a sport and comes out swinging, your whole system lights up with “escape now” alarms. In those moments, it’s tempting to just go along with them, even if you quietly hate every word of it.

8. You’re intuitive—sometimes eerily so.

You pick up patterns, read emotional undercurrents, and sense motives long before others catch on. It’s not magic. It’s the subtle processing your brain does automatically.

People may say, “How did you know that?” You knew because you felt it.

For example:

• You can tell a friend is about to break up with someone three months before they admit it—just from the way their tone changes when they say the person’s name.

• You can sense when someone is lying, not because of evidence, but because something in their energy feels “off” in a way you can’t un-notice.

• You know instantly when someone doesn’t like you. Not in a paranoid way, just in a “your body told you before your brain did” way.

So… are you an HSP?

If you read this list and felt seen, understood, exposed, or all of the above—you just might be.

Being a Highly Sensitive Person isn’t about being “too much.” It’s about having a nervous system that’s tuned in, responsive, and deeply perceptive. It makes life richer, relationships deeper, and your intuition sharper. Sure, it also makes certain things harder (looking at you, grocery stores at 6 p.m.). But your sensitivity isn’t a flaw.

How to Take Care of Yourself as an HSP (…or what to keep in mind if you have an HSP in your life)

1. Build recovery time into your schedule—on purpose. You’re not imagining it: your brain does need more breaks. Treat downtime like an essential nutrient, not a luxury. If extroverts need people time, you need quiet time—same concept, different flavor.

2. Stop saying yes to things you resent 10 seconds later. HSPs often agree to plans because they feel pressured or don’t want to disappoint anyone. If your first reaction is “ugh,” that’s your answer. Your nervous system will thank you.

3. Protect your senses like they matter (because they do). Trynoise-canceling headphones and softer lighting. And create your own emotional “buffer rituals.”This could be a walk, calm music, sitting in your car before going inside, or staring into the sky for three minutes. Whatever helps you reset.

4. Learn to spot emotional freeloaders. Some people love you because you listen, support, and empathize…and they give absolutely nothing back. You are not an emotional support animal. Choose relationships that fill you, not drain you.

5. Never apologize for having feelings. Everyone has them. You just experience yours more strongly. That’s not a crime. Allow yourself to feel what you feel. All emotions dissipate with time, but only if you stop fighting them.

Insightfully yours,

Queen D