Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Vs. Empath

Highly Sensitive Person – HSP vs. Empath. What’s the difference?

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) and empaths share a heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli.

While the terms are sometimes interchangeable, they represent distinct personality traits with unique characteristics.

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) and empaths share some characteristics but are distinct in their traits and experiences.

Understanding these differences can help individuals better navigate their emotional and sensory worlds.

This article will explore the differences between HSPs, sensitives, and empaths, shedding light on their traits, experiences, and coping mechanisms.

Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs)

Highly Sensitive Persons, coined by psychologist Elaine Aron, possess a more acute sensitivity to external stimuli.

This sensitivity is not limited to emotions but encompasses various sensory experiences, including sights, sounds, touch, and even environmental subtleties.

Approximately 15-20% of the population is estimated to be highly sensitive.

Key characteristics of HSPs include:

HSPs process sensory input more deeply, noticing nuances others might overlook. This can lead to a richer and more detailed experience of the world.
HSPs may be more emotionally reactive, experiencing intense emotional responses to positive and negative stimuli. They may also be more empathetic, readily tuning into others’ feelings.
HSPs are more susceptible to feeling overwhelmed in stimulating environments due to their heightened sensitivity. They may need time alone to recharge after exposure to intense stimuli.

Empaths

Empaths, on the other hand, share similarities with HSPs but are distinguished by their ability to connect with and understand the emotions of others deeply.

Empathy goes beyond sensitivity to external stimuli and involves an emotional attunement to the feelings of those around them.

Key characteristics of empaths include:

Empaths can absorb and internalize people’s emotions in their proximity. This can lead to an intense and sometimes overwhelming emotional experience as they navigate their own emotions alongside those of others.
Empaths often possess a heightened intuition, allowing them to sense the unspoken emotions and needs of those around them. This can make them excellent listeners and supportive friends.
Empaths may find their empathetic abilities draining, especially when surrounded by negativity or strong emotions. They may need to establish boundaries to protect their own emotional well-being.

HSP vs. Empath Test

Various tests are available online to help determine whether someone is an HSP, an empath, or both. These tests typically include questions about sensory sensitivity, emotional responses, and interpersonal interactions.

Sample Questions for the HSP Test:

Do you find yourself overwhelmed by bright lights or loud noises?
Do you notice subtleties in your environment that others might miss?
Are you deeply moved by arts or music?

Sample Questions for Empath Test:

Do you often feel overwhelmed by others’ emotions, even if they are not verbally expressed?
Can you sense the energy of a room or a person intuitively?
Do you need time alone to recharge after social interactions?

Interpreting the Results:

HSP: If you score high on questions related to sensory sensitivity and emotional depth, you might be an HSP.
Empath: If you score high on questions about absorbing others’ emotions and intuitive insights, you might be an empath.
Both: Some individuals may score high on both sets of questions, indicating that they possess traits of both HSPs and empaths.

Understanding whether you are an HSP, an empath, or both can provide valuable insights into how you experience the world and interact with others. It can also guide you in finding strategies to manage overwhelm, set boundaries, and harness your sensitivity as a strength.

Navigating Life as an HSP or Empath

Both HSPs and empaths benefit from cultivating self-awareness. Understanding one’s own sensitivities and recognizing when they are absorbing external emotions is crucial for managing and navigating daily life.

Establishing healthy boundaries is essential for both HSPs and empaths. Learning to say ‘no’ and creating a supportive environment that allows for personal space and emotional regulation is crucial.

Developing effective self-care routines is vital for managing sensitivity. This may include regular breaks, mindfulness exercises, and activities that promote relaxation and emotional balance.

Connecting with like-minded individuals or seeking professional support can be beneficial for both HSPs and empaths. Sharing experiences and coping strategies can foster a sense of community and understanding.

Most highly sensitive people are brilliant. Great artists, composers, and even entrepreneurs are compassionate people.

Empath and The Highly Sensitive - Judy Dyer - Amazon Link.

The Highly Sensitive Person vs. The Empath — by Aleksei Bakulin/ CC0 1.0

Are You An Empath Questions?

Below are some questions to help you determine if you are an empath. Empaths typically display the following traits.

Have you been labeled as overly sensitive?
Do you have precognitive dreams?
If a friend or loved one is distressed, do you start feeling it too?
Are your feelings easily hurt?
Are you emotionally drained or overwhelmed by crowds?
Do your nerves get rattled by noises, smells, or excessive talking?
Can you sense things before they happen?
Are you spiritually drawn to water?
Do you prefer taking your car places so you can leave when you want to?
Do you overeat to cope with emotional stress?
Did you resort to drinking to alleviate emotional symptoms?
Do you have strong intuition?
Do you vocalize what people near you are thinking and feeling?
Are you sensitive to the needs and ‘vibes’ of other people?
Can you tell what people aren’t telling you?
Are you afraid of becoming consumed by intimate relationships?
Do you often feel the emotions of others?
Is personal and emotional freedom essential to your well-being?
Do you need ‘alone time’ to recharge and recuperate after spending time with noisy people or places?
Do you affect electronics and other electrical components when you’re highly emotional?
Can you influence the moods of those around you?
Do you take on the personality or mannerisms of people you spend time with?
Do people come to you with their problems?
Do you prefer natural settings like the beach, ocean, lakes, and forests instead of crowded, noisy cities?
Are you an emotional sponge?
Are you uncomfortable when caught off-guard, like someone showing up to your house unannounced?
Do you crave sugar?
Do you have an ongoing war between your head and your heart?
Do you often feel like you’re ‘not enough’ or not doing enough?
Do you often take care of the needs of others while leaving your needs unmet?
Do you prefer to be alone more often than not?
After exhausting all efforts to preserve the relationship, do you permanently cut people out of your life?
Do you tend to addiction?
Do you tend to attract narcissistic and or other damaged people toward you?
Are you considered a good friend or person?
Do you have autoimmune and endocrine issues such as Fibromyalgia, Thyroid, and Diabetes?
Do strangers or people you barely know to tell you about their problems?
Have you been told you are a great listener?
Do you have a strong dislike for ‘drama queens’?
Do you have prophetic dreams or visions about the future?
Do you find yourself greatly soothed by being in nature or near water?
Are you ‘turned off” by, or do you avoid controlling people?
Do you absorb other people’s stress, emotions, or health symptoms?
Can you willingly affect the “vibe’ of a place for better or worse?
Do certain songs and music deeply move you?
Do you believe your soul is not native to this planet?
Do you overeat to cope with stressful people or life situations?
Do you feel more comfortable when you are in control (not controlling other people’s way?)
Do you want to make the planet a better place to live?

Are All Empaths And HSPs Introverted?

It has been stated that empaths and HSPs can be introverted or extroverted, but most are introverted. Being an introvert is a genetic trait that involves differences in how the brain processes dopamine, the “reward” chemical.

People born introverts don’t feel as rewarded by external stimuli such as parties or chitchat, and as a result, they get worn down in those types of situations very quickly.

On the other hand, many introverts get fulfillment from meaningful activities like reading, creative and artistic hobbies, historical sites, National Parks, and some quiet, alone time to recharge their batteries.

I am an extroverted Empath who needs time to decompress after too much stimulation. Back in the early 2000s, I was under a lot of stress.

I owned my own home alone, which was expensive and sometimes overwhelming. I needed to find an activity to soothe my mind, so I read books.

I read over 700 books about various topics for the next five years and became relatively well-read. Like most activities, empaths get bored with routine, and I stopped going to bookstores because it didn’t do anything for me anymore.

I do, however, read a lot of material online these days. Being empathic means we need the right balance of mental and physical stimulation, rest, relaxation, and activities that bring us joy.

All HSPs, whether introverts or extroverts, possess four main characteristics as identified by research psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron in Psychotherapy and the Highly Sensitive Person (2010.)

These four are D.O.E.S.

Depth of Processing
Over Stimulation
Emotional Responsiveness & Empathy
Sensitive to Subtleties

The other 80% of the population, which is not highly sensitive, does not possess these four characteristics or implications.

Most introverts’ challenge is that they prefer to be more extroverted. In a quiet, predictable, comfortable environment to recuperate, many try sooner rather than later; they will need time alone.

Most introverts figure out later, rather than sooner, that they need to honor their bodies’ needs and avoid spending too much time in environments that overstimulate them.

Many introverts like to drive their cars to parties and events instead of going with friends so they can quickly leave when they want to.

It’s also no surprise that many introverted HSPs and Empaths may need to live alone or have separate sleeping rooms away from their spouse or partner to get the restful, recuperative sleep they desperately need.

The best partners for introverted HSPs and Empaths are introverts or people who understand and honor their needs and requirements.

Highly Sensitive Personality Traits & Symptoms

Are you overwhelmed by bright lights, strong smells, coarse fabrics, or sirens nearby?
Do you get stressed when you have a lot to do in a short amount of time?
Are you exceptionally creative, and do you have a vivid imagination?
Do you make a point of avoiding violent movies and TV shows?
Do you need to withdraw during busy days, into bed, in a darkened room, or some other place where you can have privacy and relief from the situation?
Do you make it a priority to arrange your life to avoid upsetting or overwhelming situations?
Do you notice or enjoy delicate or refined scents, tastes, sounds, or works of art?
Do you have a rich and complex inner life?
Are you conscientious and thoughtful?
Do you function poorly when being observed by strangers?
When you were a child, did your parents or teachers see you as sensitive or shy?
Do you frequently experience anxiety when no threats are present?
Do you experience social anxiety?
Are you concerned about the humane treatment of animals?
Do you prefer to learn one-on-one instead of in groups?
Do you love and respect nature and animals?
Do you feel guilty when establishing boundaries with other people?
Are you easily bored in relationships?
Do you have difficulty sharing living space with other people?
Do you, at times, have low self-esteem and feel misunderstood?
Does your job leave you disappointed, bored, or burnt out?
Does being in over-stimulating places overwhelm your senses?
Do you notice subtleties in people and situations most people don’t see?
Are you an introvert?
Do you startle/ blush easily?

Why are ‘Sensitives’ on the Receiving End of Emotionally Abusive Behavior?

As a sensitive person, you want to feel loved, as does everyone else, but it is somewhat challenging to allow love in for yourself.

On one level, the love and connection you seek also feel like control and power over you, which makes you reluctant to love. For HSPs, freedom is their core, fundamental emotion.

Many HSPs think that it’s safer for them to manage independently than in a relationship. You will feel highly uncomfortable if anything comes along that may compromise your sense of freedom. This is known as your ‘avoidant component.’

This is why many HSPs can be ‘loners.’ It’s not that we don’t want love and connection; we feel happier when we are free from the demands, expectations, and fear of letting others down.

Many HSPs overgive to others to avoid taking care of themselves. HSPs are excellent at giving, but many have challenges with receiving because of potential unseen strings attached. Not everyone will be abusive to you.

However, people who do not have a secure connection to their emotions will be attracted to you. In turn, you will be attracted to people who do not have a solid connection to their feelings. In this case, opposites do attract.

The key for HSPs is to understand that abuse of any kind is unacceptable, and you need to set boundaries around these types of people. This is much harder to deal with for children who have abusive parents, siblings, or relatives.

Linking & Ranking

Connection – People you feel good around you are linking with at a soul level, not ego.
Separation – People you feel inadequate around are ranking with you as a competition; this is done at the ego level. This is the predator’s mind, the people devoid of positive (connective) emotion.

Linking with others makes us feel happy, accepted, and connected, whereas ranking makes you feel unhappy and anxious about your worth.

Linking with people instead of ranking with people means controlling your limbic system, also known as the ‘monkey mind’ or ‘reptilian brain,’ which influences the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems.

When we are conscious, we can respond to circumstances; when we are unconscious, we react to situations.

It is vital not to react when dealing with someone dominated by their limbic system instead of their soul. They are not in control of themselves, are in ‘victim’ and ‘blame mode’, and cannot be reasoned with.

If you are skilled, you can communicate with their soul; if you can’t, be quiet until their conscious and reasoning mind takes over. We all struggle, and many are becoming more aware of the unconscious shadow aspect.

Presence practices are your best tool for dealing with your unconscious behavior and the unconscious behavior of others. It’s as if we have split beings at times.

The real you is the soul/spiritual energy that is eternal, yet we have a physical human body preprogrammed like a computer. We do our best to recognize, remove, and delete programming that doesn’t serve us.

We can heal our ancestral bloodline’s genetic blueprint by investing in our personal growth. The key here is to own it first and make changes second.

First, you must ‘bring to light’ that you have non-beneficial habits and patterns that need reprogramming and then take action.

Read Next: Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy