What is a Highly Sensitive Empath (HSE)?

What is a Highly Sensitive Empath (HSE)?

It is a personality type that is actually connected to your sympathetic nervous system and where a part of your brain that is literally more open. Therefore unlike other personality types this one is based on how your brain is actually physically made up. What this means is that Highly Sensitive Empath’s are actually receiving and processing more information then the average person.Therefore although you can use the different aspects of being Highly Sensitive Empath to your benefit there is very little you can do to actually change how much information you receive and the time it takes to process it. It is like you have 5 stacks of paper work to sort through on a daily basis instead of one small one.

The Highly Sensitive Person is a mixture of two concepts. The first concept is that created by Elaine Aron who created the term “highly sensitive person”. This is related to the physiological make up. The second concept is that of an empath, which is a recent concept describing the type of person who has a very big heart, and great intuitive abilities. While these concept are similar not all highly sensitive people are empaths, and vice versa. The HSE is someone who fits into both of these categories.  It is a unique mix of a highly sensitive person and an empath.

Highly Sensitive Empaths make up about 20% of the population. They are very “other” person focused, which means they think more about others and making others happy then about themselves. In an effort to please others they often try to change themselves, additionally they are very likely to blame themselves for any fight or take on 200% of the responsibility in their interpersonal relationships. HSE severely dislike it when other people are mad at them, and can often get preoccupied with making sure people are not mad at them, or worrying about if people are. HSE have an incredible ability to feel the joy, pain, and sadness of others, often trying to take on the more negative emotions in an effort to help. Because of this many HSEs can feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed or exhausted. Additionally because HSEs are mainly focused on other people and try so hard to not hurt or offend others they can get hurt when others don’t treat them the same way. It can also be difficult for them to know what they actually want, since they often don’t consider this question. HSEs usually struggle with asking for help, and despite their intense emotions, they may have difficulty communicating how they feel in a vulnerable way.

Highly Sensitive Empaths can often feel as though their big heart is a burden but when taught how to use it effectively their big heart can actually be a huge gift not only for themselves but also for their loved ones. HSEs are usually the people that really care about their families, their communities, the environment and they frequently have an affinity with animals. HSE are usually the artists the philosophers and the teachers of the world. They are great at seeing the big picture and how everything is interconnected. While they have a lower tolerance for stress they are very strong individuals, and are often the ones that people go to for help, advice, or to be consoled.

Similar posts

My book

If you have enjoyed this article and would like to take this journey further, check out my book The Good Thing About Mortar Shells: Choosing love over fear”.