High Sensitivity Adolescents

What is a highly sensitive adolescent?

A highly sensitive adolescent or highly sensitive person (HSP) processes information very deeply. High sensitivity processing is a genetic trait which is shared by 20-30% of the general population, and in most classrooms around 20% of children are HSP’s. High sensitivity affects all sensory input, both physically and emotionally.

HSP’s are gifted in many aspects.

Some of the characteristics that highly sensitive adolescents exhibit:

Being HIGHLY intuitive, creative, empathic, imaginative, passionate, loving, curious, conscientious and perceptive
Finely tuned to subtleties
Hold deep emotional connections to beauty (eg. the arts, music, dance, philosophy, psychology)
Lower pain tolerance
Daydreaming
Longer adaptation periods
Mislabeled as “shy” or “anxious”
Introspection
Searching for meaning in their lives
Words have a strong emotional impact

On a general physical front, an HSP may feel highly discomforted by:

Changes in temperature
Activities which induce high adrenaline levels (may avoid high levels of stimulants such as caffeine or roller coasters)
Scratchy clothing or labels against their skin
Unpleasant/unusual odors & noises
Violence and cruelty of any kind
Being tested under time pressure

If you think your adolescent may be an HSP, they can take a test at Dr Aron’s website.

This is not a psychological test, but it can serve as a useful tool to determine what steps to take next.

Adolescence - a turbulent period of multidimensional growth

Adolescence is a transitional period from childhood to adulthood, where young people take on the challenges of discovering their own interests, hobbies, sexuality, earning and managing money, facing the temptations of drugs and alcohol, partying meanwhile planning out the first steps of a career or higher education.

Highly sensitive adolescents grow in talent and depth at this age. Most stand out artistically, academically or in some other domain for which sensitivity and deep processing are assets.

They may be exceptional writers, artists, chess champions or inventors.

They may be showing an aesthetic sensitivity that would be found in someone older.

Their inner life is blossoming in the form of spirituality or interests in philosophy or psychology.

It is a difficult period for everyone involved – parents included.

But it is especially unsettling for highly sensitive adolescents.

HSP’s need to feel thoroughly understood, supported and free to slow down this transition from innocent care-free child to launching into a young adult with responsibilities, all the while going through remarkable physical changes.

If they are struggling, HSP’s tend to manifest this in quieter ways. If they do not understand their differences from the majority of adolescents, and how to manage their changes in a healthy and individualised way, they might be more vulnerable to dwell into a pitfall. They may have a greater reluctance to go partying, date or a constant worry about what kind of career they will be able to manage.

How can you help your highly sensitive adolescent?

Watch for indications of anxious or low moods – irritability being an important one.

Highly sensitive adolescents rarely engage in anything illegal, unhealthy or risky.

Sensitive adolescents do not present many of the problems other teenagers do. They usually aim to be adults as soon as possible, almost skipping over adolescence.

Signs to watch out for distress and cries for help in highly sensitive adolescents:

Anxiety or Depression

What if my adolescent is both highly sensitive AND a Third Culture Kid (TCK)?

Highly sensitive third-culture adolescents are a special demographic. They may be dealing with their innate high sensitivity in combination with identity struggles associated with their multicultural upbringing and the many other struggles associated with adolescence.