Resources: Neurodiversity

You might be a person with high sensitivity who wants to understand yourself better. Or perhaps you care about a family member or friend with high sensitivity. High sensitivity is a naturally occurring variation in human biology.

Here’s a few key facts:

  • Being a highly sensitive person is not a disorder or diagnosis, it’s a temperament trait based on your biology and how your nervous system is wired.
  • If you’re highly sensitive, your brain processes sensory input more deeply than other people. This includes sights, sounds, textures and emotions.
  • This is different from general sensitivity or shyness. It’s not a mental illness and it’s not the same as introversion or anxiety. It’s also distinct from autism.
  • This biological trait shows up in between 20-30% of the general population, regardless of gender, and it shows up in over 100 species of animals.
  • This trait is also known as sensory processing sensitivity and it can be seen in brain imaging studies, because of heightened activity in specific regions of the brain.

There’s so much evolving information online – the best keywords for research include:

  • HSP / highly sensitive person
  • HSC / highly sensitive child
  • SPS / sensory processing sensitivity

Here’s some of the most practical and useful resources I’ve found online.

Start here: hsperson.com

Elaine Aron, Ph.D. is the psychologist and researcher who published groundbreaking work about sensory processing sensitivity. Her website has a free self-test and a comprehensive research collection.

For the most current research:  sensitivityresearch.com

This is run by researchers who provide reliable information for educators and families, including a free newsletter.

If you prefer a succinct video, watch:

Dr. Thomas Boyce is a pediatrician and researcher who focuses on children’s neurobiological sensitivity. He writes extensivity about orchid children.

Check out The Haven

The Haven is a community based resource hub run by Andy Mort. He’s put together a terrific “Owner’s Guide” for highly sensitive people and offers a variety of free resources, including a podcast.

Many other resourceful HSP communities exist on Reddit and Substack and Facebook.

These are the books I most frequently recommend:

There are many counselors, coaches and therapists who specialize in high sensitivity. Many of them are outstanding, but I do not have direct experience that allows me to endorse or recommend anyone specifically.

Some medical practitioners are attuned to the needs of highly sensitive people and I recommend speaking up about your specific needs when it comes to medical, dental and mental health care.