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Episode 16
of the Highly Sensitive Person Podcast is about High Sensation Seeking HSPs. You have no idea how many times I had to edit myself saying that mouthful of words incorrectly in this episode.
HSPs are careful and evaluate everything around them thoroughly. But those who are also High Sensation Seekers crave excitement, arousal, and new experiences (not necessarily extreme stuff like skydiving or bungee jumping, mind you.) How can those two traits co-exist in the same person?! I think it’s an interesting concept.
Mentioned on this episode: Take the test to see if you are a high sensation seeker
Further reading:
- From Dr. Elaine Aron’s website: Personality and Temperament: The Highly Sensitive Person Who Is Also A High Sensation Seeker
- This blog: Are you a High Sensation Seeking HSP?
- This blog: Finding the “stasis of peace”
- This blog: How to Travel the World Long-Term When You’re Highly Sensitive
Podcast music attribution: By the Coast (2004) (Antony Raijekov) / CC BY-NC 2.5
Hi Kelly,
I’ve been really enjoying your podcasts and have just listened to the high sensation seeking highly sensitive person one (phew!) and guess what! The description fits me like a glove.
When I first started investigating the idea of me being a highly sensitive person I knew that I fit the criteria, but some things just didn’t work. For example, I am fascinated by people but so many bore me to tears if they are predictable personalities. I am a nurse and hate routine hospital work and have a niche of working in remote/industrial/rural unpredictable areas. I find it quite stressful, but also thrive on the anticipation. I connect really well with my patients but am often overwhelmed with sadness for their situations.
THANKYOU for helping in taking steps to know myself better!!!!
Thanks for your comment, Fiona. I am so happy the podcast helped you!! You are so welcome 🙂
Hi Kelly!
I always hear HSP’s being introverts and I would have to say that I am situational..I can be an introvert but also an extrovert. Listening to this helped me realize why I am in the middle. I took the quiz (even though I didn’t really need to because I could tell that I was just from the description in your podcast) and I am definitely an HSP AND a High Sensation Seeker!!!
Hi Nicole! Thanks for sharing. Welcome to the HSS club!! 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Thank you for all of your very helpful podcasts and the work that you do. I have taken the test and clearly recognize the HSS characteristics. Where can we find further information on how we can best utilize HSP/HSS traits? For instance, what careers/work environments are most suitable?
Hi Sharon, thanks for the nice comment! I have written a few posts about good careers for HSPs here: http://highlysensitiveperson.net/category/work-and-jobs/
Hello Kelly,
I just listened to your podcast on the High Sensation Seeking Highly Sensitive Person. And what can I say? I am one. I wanted to share some experiences a little bit. I have far more projects and things I wanna do than is healthy for me. I am an architecture graduate and I am applying to a Jazz school to live a life as a an architect/musician, both on a professional level, because I can’t stand boredom and seek new challenges and sensations. I have come very far with this, nice memories and interesting things to talk about. But I am also a person that observes a lot. Overthinks a lot. I am a perfectionist that wants to really dig deeply and thoroughly into many topics while still feeling, I am missing out on most things of life. I want to be at all places at the same time, superficiality bores me terribly. That’s why I often feel guilty when I don’t maintain close relationships with my friends, especially when they are living abroad. I can’t sit at a single task for a long time. I feel like I can’t read books without being bored and I get distracted by details in my surroundings. But this causes problems: soaking up all the information apart from this book, it makes me acutally read more slowly than other people and give up on this activity quickly because I am not moving forward. This happens at work, too. I quickly get so overwhelmed with the new input and so bored with my own progress, that this actually stops me from focusing. Now that’s something, isn’t it?
Greetings from Berlin,
Andreas.
Thanks for sharing, Andreas! 🙂
Andreas, we are one of the same! HSS & HSP is bloody exhausting!
Love your podcasts Kelly!
Wow! I’ve just listened to your podcast for the first time: the high sensation seeking hsp podcast #16 and loved it. It’s super clear, interesting and you have such a good voice as well. I’m thinking we should have one in Swedish too, just not sure I’m the right person to do it. I’m hsp, a gender and pol. scientist, interested in psychology. I’m writing ab. hsp in Swedish and have just started a blog.
Thank you for making this podcast! I’ll continue listening.
Cheers
Hi Mariana, thank you for your kind comment! I’m so glad you like the show. 🙂 What is your blog?
Hi Kelly!
Thanks for having such an awesome resource! I’ve been debating whether I’m an HSP for a while and have recently discovered the HSS subtype. It’s like all the puzzle pieces have finally fallen into place! I know you did this podcast a while back, so I was wondering if perhaps you would revisit the topic soon? Thanks! Keep doing what you do!
Hi Tiffany, thanks for the kind words and the suggestion!! It’s on my radar 🙂
Hello Kelly,
I’ve been really enjoying your podcast! I think it is so important to spread the word because like you, it allowed me to go from accepting that I was weird, to better understanding, appreciating, and loving what was unusual about me.
I am highly sensitive and high sensation seeking, and I think it is a wonderful combination. You said you weren’t sure if you were because you don’t get bored- I think that is what is so wonderful about being both – because we process and feel so deeply, we get a good amount of sensation most of the time – we don’t have to be thrill seeking all the time.
Thanks again for your podcast.
Nicky
Thanks allot for this episode! I’m definitely an HSS and that’s the reason people often don’t believe me that i consider myself to be a shy, sensitive (HSP in that matter) and also, for a fair share, introvert person.
I get bored easily and am more restless than many of my friends. I also struggle with depression and especially anxiety, but I always guess that they aren’t the cause of my being how i am but more of a result of circumstances especially as a teen, bad experiences and a lack and also a lack in knowledge of self care.
I’m much better now but I sometimes have problems because I like to contribute to conversations and am outspoken and lively in social situations that people think i have a thick skin and treat me like that. And when i tell them about my hurt the theme is “Don’t take everything so personal” to “if you’re so sensitive, you should avoid going to clubs or big events etc etc” which is especially hurtful because I feel discriminated.
My anxiety does not stem from those experiences like going to parties etc. but from comments or acts from people.