Self Test: How sensitive are you?

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  Do you need "down time" on very busy days?

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  • A.
    Definitely! I go to a private place. No stimuli (not even music) for a while, when feeling overwhelmed.
  • B.
    Nah... I am thrilled on fast paced days, especially if doing fun stuff.
• 2.
  Doing your work or duty perfectly and thoroughly is of utmost importance to you

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  • A.
    Yes, but I would better define myself as an 80/20 person.
  • B.
    Had to pin the "100% right, 100% late" motto to my desk for many years to remind my stickler self
• 3.
  Does Multi-tasking annoy you?

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  • A.
    Nope. I do more and feel good.
  • B.
    Definitely. I don't like being expected to do many things at the same time.
• 4.
  Do you avoid intense stimuli? Like loud noises, chaos.

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  • A.
    Yes. I avoid malls, for example.
  • B.
    I can live with that. I can focus on what is I came looking for.
• 5.
  If you have a lot to do in a short amount of time...

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  • A.
    you get irritated, anxious and worry a lot?
  • B.
    you get it over with and move on?
• 6.
  How deep and rich would you scale your inner life?

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  • A.
    I go over what's happened in the day as I believe we all do
  • B.
    I seldom think about existential issues and obsess about every little thing I feel and observe
• 7.
  Are you moved by the arts and music?

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  • A.
    Deeply. I may cry.
  • B.
    Sometimes I am. I may have music on and not pay attention to it.
• 8.
  Do you jump out of your skin if startled?

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  • A.
    yesssss!!! 
  • B.
    i find it amusing, I actually like to startle others
• 9.
  Were you seen shy or sensitive as a child?

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  • A.
    No
  • B.
    Yes
• 10.
  When the news turn violent or a movie is scary...

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  • A.
    Do you close eyes, switch channels, turn it off?
  • B.
    Do you keep watching?
• 11.
  When hungry...

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  • A.
    May you be angry if not fed? Can not focus otherwise.
  • B.
    Hold yourself together until food is available?
• 12.
  You sense someone is uncomfortable,

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  • A.
    but it is his/her problem.
  • B.
    so you need to make something to change that.
• 13.
  Change and the unplanned

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  • A.
    You love! 
  • B.
    Completely throws you off board.
• 14.
  You are annoyed by strong smells

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  • A.
    always
  • B.
    rarely
• 15.
  Caffeine is...

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  • A.
    my ally
  • B.
    my worst enemy, I can feel the boost and have trouble sleeping

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Are you familiar with the HSP trait?

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  Technical name is Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), a personality trait which means you may have an increased sensitivity at the nervous system level. This translates into a deep processing of stimuli: physical, social and emotional. It is NOT a disorder, but a trait, which is characterized by this 'pausing to check' mechanism in unfamiliar situations, broader sensitivity to subtle stimuli, and heightened emotional reactivity, both positive and negative. A human with a particularly high measure of SPS is considered to be a highly sensitive person (HSP). The terms SPS and HSP were coined in the mid-1990s by psychologists Elaine Aron and her husband Arthur Aron, who developed the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) questionnaire by which SPS is measured. According to the Arons and colleagues, people with high SPS make up about 15–20% of the population. Although this is a self-test and there is neither a medical test nor diagnosis (because it is a trait!), High Sensitivity explains a LOT of things for those who feel identified with its characteristics. Needing to retreat to recharge, being bothered by bright lights, loud sounds and strong smells, being easily startled, are just a few of them. Most HSP are empaths. Most are introverts, meaning they recharge by alone time. However there is a 30% that are energized by social interaction, even if they afterwards need time to cool down and recollect themselves (extroverts!). It is usually very hard for Highly Sensitive People to face difficult conversations and emotions run high and there are SO MANY factors to take into account. Please follow the link if this describes in any way how you may feel...
• 2.
  You may be ranking lower in the scale of High Sensitivity. Nevertheless, please read below.

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  What I want to let you know first, is that this is a self-test, and as such, it will never be that accurate so that you should take any kind of measure upon it. Responses to this quiz are average and the cut off is determined upon those averages. In fact, you may call yourself Highly Sensitive even if only a few characteristics are VERY AND DEEPLY true to you. Also, depending on genre, answers are biased to one or other way, usually with men self-rating lower versus women who answer. You may also struggle with many of the setbacks and challenges HSP do. For example, facing difficult conversations so that we can co-create a new future together with someone who is meaningful to us. Either it is a partner or a boss. Instead of putting the talk off once and again until things solve themselves out (and maybe not in the way we wanted them to), we can prepare for them! Have you had any issues like this before? Check out the free guide on this!