Understanding High Sensitivity in a Neurodiverse World

Why We Should Take the Concept of High Sensitivity Seriously – and Look at It Differentiatedly

High sensitivity has long outgrown its niche. On social media, in self-help books and podcasts, the topic appears more and more often – often wrapped in a gentle touch of mysticism and the promise of being “different.”Yet somewhere between Instagram self-tests and scientific research on sensory processing lies a large grey zone. While many people recognize themselves in the term, the question remains: What does the science actually say?And why is it important to understand high sensitivity beyond clichés and labels?

Time, then, to clear the fog – with facts, context, and a touch of Well-being Rebel realness.

What High Sensitivity Really Is

The term Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) was coined in the 1990s by psychologist Elaine N. Aron.She used it to describe people who react more strongly to sensory input, emotions, and social signals – and who process these experiences more deeply.

In scientific research, this trait is called Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) – a personality trait, not a disorder. Roughly 15–20% of people show a high degree of this sensitivity.That number is consistent across cultures – and has also been observed in over 100 animal species, suggesting an evolutionary function: highly sensitive individuals may detect subtle dangers or shifts in mood earlier, contributing to the social balance of a group.

Research identifies four core characteristics:

• Depth of processing: Information is analyzed more thoroughly and linked with emotion.

• Strong emotional reactivity: Joy, empathy, but also stress or sadness are felt more intensely.

• Sensitivity to subtle stimuli: Sounds, light, moods – everything registers a little “louder.”

• Overstimulation: When too many impressions hit at once, the nervous system tires more quickly.

In short: Highly sensitive people don’t necessarily perceive more – they perceive more deeply.

Between Science and Self-Identification

High sensitivity is not a clinical term – it doesn’t appear in diagnostic systems such as the ICD or DSM.But that doesn’t mean it “doesn’t exist.” It simply means: high sensitivity is not a disorder to be treated, but a temperament to be understood and integrated.

The challenge lies in measurement: most tools – such as the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) developed by Elaine N. Aron – rely on self-reporting.This means results reflect personal perception, which naturally leaves room for interpretation.

And yes, there are overlaps with other neurobiological profiles such as ADHD or autism.Certain traits – like high emotional intensity or sensory sensitivity – can appear similar, though they stem from different mechanisms.

Interestingly, neuroscientific studies do show distinct brain activation patterns in highly sensitive individuals – particularly in the insula (linked to self-awareness, empathy, and emotional integration) and in the mirror neuron system, which plays a role in emotional attunement and social understanding.

This supports the idea that Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) represents a unique neurobiological profile – not a replacement for ADHD or autism, but another variation in how humans process and respond to the world.

The Double Edge of Sensitivity

People with high sensitivity don’t have an “overly fragile” nervous system – they have a more reactive one.Their brains process information more deeply and emotionally. Depending on their environment, this can become either a burden or a strength.

Research shows:

• In stressful, hostile, or noisy environments, highly sensitive people tend to experience more fatigue, overwhelm, and anxiety.

• In supportive and appreciative settings, they often show above-average creativity, empathy, conscientiousness, and sense of meaning.

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As psychologist Michael Pluess puts it:

“Highly sensitive people bloom faster in supportive environments – and wilt faster in hostile ones.”

This concept is known as the Differential Susceptibility Theory – the idea that sensitivity acts as an amplifier of context: positives have a stronger effect, and so do negatives.Studies (e.g., Pluess & Belsky, 2013) show that people with elevated sensitivity are especially responsive to their surroundings – for better and for worse.

High Sensitivity in the Context of Neurodiversity

In today’s neurodiversity discourse, high sensitivity is increasingly seen as part of the natural spectrum of human sensory processing.People differ in how intensely they perceive and process sensory, emotional, and social stimuli – and that diversity is not pathological, but part of what makes us human.

Understanding high sensitivity as part of the neurodiverse spectrum can be approached from different perspectives.While some researchers view it as a variation of sensory processing, others see it more as a temperament trait within the normal range of human diversity.

Arguments that support this view include:

• Similar patterns of sensory overload and social fatigue as observed in ADHD or autism.

• A commonly reported sense of “otherness” and heightened sensitivity to stimuli, meaning that everyday adaptation often requires more energy and flexibility than it does for less sensitive or neurotypical individuals.

• As with other neurodiverse profiles, the focus is shifting from deficits to strengths – toward resources such as resilience, empathy, and creativity.

Arguments against include:

• There are no clearly defined neurological markers that distinguish Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) from other neurobiological profiles.

• Sensitivity exists on a continuum – it’s not a separate “wiring,” but a natural variation within human neurobiology.

The most meaningful approach is likely an integrative one:High sensitivity is part of our neurodiverse reality – even if it isn’t a formal diagnosis.It’s not about labels, but about understanding: How can we create systems in which sensitive nervous systems can thrive?

Why It’s Worth Talking About

1. Self-Understanding Instead of Self-Pathologizing

For many, the label “highly sensitive” isn’t a badge, but a key – a way to view themselves with more compassion, and to stop believing they are “too sensitive,” “not resilient enough,” or simply “not fitting into the system.”

2. Mental Health & Prevention

Highly sensitive people react more strongly to chronic stress.That makes preventive strategies like mindfulness, rest, boundaries, and psychoeducation especially valuable – not to make them “tougher,” but to provide tools that help ease the load on the nervous system.

3. Workplace & Society

A mentally healthy workplace embraces sensory diversity – in lighting, noise levels, communication style, and break culture.What supports sensitive employees ultimately benefits everyone – and makes organizations more resilient.

4. Research & Awareness

The more nuanced our conversations about high sensitivity become, the better we can separate scientific evidence from romanticized self-narratives – and position the topic where it belongs: at the intersection of neurodiversity and mental health.

Conclusion: Not a Hype – but Human Diversity

Perhaps, in the end, it’s not about whether high sensitivity is a diagnosis, a personality trait, or a form of neurodivergence.It’s about recognizing that people feel, think, and perceive at different intensities – and that this diversity enriches us all. A healthy society needs all kinds of nervous systems:the steady, the reflective, the delicate, and the wild ones.

Just like ADHD or autism, high sensitivity isn’t a trend, a weakness, or a label – it’s a real, researched facet of human diversity.And perhaps, it’s exactly what our overstimulated world needs to find balance again.

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Sources & Current Research (Selection)

• Aron, E. & Aron, A. (1997). Sensory Processing Sensitivity and its relation to introversion and emotionality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

• Greven, C. et al. (2019). Sensory Processing Sensitivity: Theory, measurement and implications. Personality and Individual Differences.

• Lionetti, F., Aron, E. et al. (2023). Environmental Sensitivity in the context of differential susceptibility. Developmental Psychology.

• Frontiers in Psychology (2025). Flourishing as a Highly Sensitive Person: A mixed-methods study.

• Nature (2025). The relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and loneliness.

• Sensitivity Research Institute (2025). Sensitivity, stress and wellbeing: A systematic review.