Are they a Snowflake or Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)?

‘In a world full of emojis used to express emotion, faltering privacy because of social media, and a lack of face-to-face communication, it is easier than ever to misread a situation. 

‘Some people, though, are described by others as over-sensitive with the inference that they are weak, dysfunctional and overly emotional. ‘In fact, this group of people often simply have nervous systems that process stimuli intensely and they think and feel deeply.’ 

These people are our friends, lovers, and colleagues. They are family members. So it’s a good idea to try to spot a highly sensitive person, and try to understand them. Are they a Snowflake or Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)? 

A good way is by following the DOES acronym and checking off the signs. For example, 

• D is for depth of processing: an HSP will overly analyse everything, it’s innate, from the way you accidentally dismissed them at a meeting – or forgot to ring. 
• O is for easily overstimulated. A person with HSP, who is often called shy, will feel overwhelmed by too much stress, noise, and people – and will even find it hard to tolerate stimulants like coffee. 
• E is for emotionally reactive. HSP people are empaths and pick up on your mood. Research shows they also have an increased emotional connection to art and music. 
• S is for subtle stimuli. They are more intuitive and can understand the subtlest nuances in a book – or a glance