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The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,072 ratings

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The 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION of the original ground-breaking book on high sensitivity with over 500,000 copies sold.

ARE YOU A HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON?
 
Do you have a keen imagination and vivid dreams? Is time alone each day as essential to you as food and water? Are you noted for your empathy?  Your conscientiousness? Do noise and confusion quickly overwhelm you? If your answers are yes, you may be a highly sensitive person (HSP) and Dr. Elaine Aron’s The Highly Sensitive Person is the life-changing guide you’ll want in your toolbox.

Over twenty percent of people have this amazing, innate trait.  Maybe you are one of them.  A similar percentage is found in over 100 species, because high sensitivity is a survival strategy.  It is also a way of life for HSPs.
 
In this 25th anniversary edition of the groundbreaking classic, Dr. Elaine Aron, a research and clinical psychologist as well as an HSP herself, helps you grasp the reality of your wonderful trait, understand your past in the light of it, and make the most of it in your future. Drawing on her many years of study and face-to-face time spent with thousands of HSPs, she explains the changes you will need to make in order to lead a fuller, richer life.

Along with a new Author’s Note, the latest scientific research, and a fresh discussion of anti-depressants, this edition of 
The Highly Sensitive Person is more essential than ever for creating the sense of self-worth and empowerment every HSP deserves and our planet needs.

“Elaine Aron has not only validated and scientifically corroborated high sensitivity as a trait—she has given a level of empowerment and understanding to a large group of the planet’s population. I thank Dr. Aron every day for her having brought this awareness to the world.” 
—Alanis Morissette, artist, activist, teacher
Popular Highlights in this book

From the Publisher

Alanis Morissette says, “To say this book changed my life would be an understatement.”

John Gray says, “Give a fresh perspective, a sigh of relief…”

Feel highly sensitive? Discover how to better understand yourself.

Riane Eisler says, “Enlightening and empowering…a wonderful gift to us all.”

Making the world more manageable for the highly sensitive individual.
Customer Reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
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A collection of exercises and activities for both individuals and groups, this workbook will help you identify the HSP trait in yourself, nurture the new, positive self-image you deserve, and create a fuller, richer life. Addresses the trait of “high sensitivity” in children–and offers a breakthrough parenting guidebook for highly sensitive children and their caregivers Offers practical help for highly sensitive people seeking happier, healthier romantic relationships

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Are you an HSP? Are you easily overwhelmed by stimuli? Affected by other people's moods? Easily startled? Do you need to withdraw during busy times to a private, quiet place? Do you get nervous or shaky if someone is observing you or competing with you? HSP, shorthand for "highly sensitive person," describes 15 to 20 percent of the population. Being sensitive is a normal trait--nothing defective about it. But you may not realize that, because society rewards the outgoing personality and treats shyness and sensitivity as something to be overcome. According to author Elaine Aron (herself an HSP), sensitive people have the unusual ability to sense subtleties, spot or avoid errors, concentrate deeply, and delve deeply. This book helps HSPs to understand themselves and their sensitive trait and its impact on personal history, career, relationships, and inner life. The book offers advice for typical problems. For example, you learn strategies for coping with overarousal, overcoming social discomfort, being in love relationships, managing job challenges, and much more. The author covers a lot of material clearly, in an approachable style, using case studies, self-tests, and exercises to bring the information home. The book is essential for you if you are an HSP--you'll learn a lot about yourself. It's also useful for people in a relationship with an HSP. --Joan Price

Review

PRAISE FOR DR. ELAINE ARON AND HER GROUNDBREAKING CLASSIC
THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON

“Elaine Aron’s perceptive analysis of this fundamental dimension of human nature is must reading. Her balanced presentation suggests new paths for making sensitivity a blessing, not a handicap.”
—Philip G. Zimbardo,author of Shyness

“Enlightening and empowering, this book is a wonderful gift to us all.”
—Riane Ensler, author of Nurturing Our Humanity

“Shy people fear being judged or rejected, whereas highly sensitive people have a keen awareness of their environment, frequently becoming overstimulated by it.”
Self

“If you are easily overwhelmed by noise, chaos, and emotions; perform poorly when being observed; and require time alone each day, there is no need to worry; recent research shows your heightened sensitivity can do you more good than harm.”
Counseling Today

“The first book that helps readers to identify their highly sensitive trait and to make the most of it.”
Counseling and Human Development

“Aron combines self-tests with useful, unclichéd advice on stress control and provocative descriptions of research.”
Fitness

“At book signings, people have come up to her [Elaine Aron] and said, ‘You've saved my life.’”
San Francisco Chronicle

“Aron's book is not a fly-by-night, self-help tome, but instead a serious effort to explore a subject on which little has been done.”
Portland Oregonian

“This book is a valuable resource for the HSP, as well as those who are trying to understand the HSP.”
The New Times

“This innovative psychologist has figured out that the extreme reactivity of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) can be a good thing. This comes as a relief to people like me—and probably you, too.”
Pathways

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00GT1YES8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Citadel Press (December 1, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 1, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2508 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 398 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,072 ratings

About the author

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Elaine N. Aron
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Elaine Aron, Ph.D., is recognized internationally as one of the leading scientists studying the psychology of love and close relationships. Dr. Aron’s research on love, conducted with her husband, Dr. Art Aron, has been featured in the New York Times, Time, and National Geographic. She is the author of The Highly Sensitive Person, The Highly Sensitive Person in Love, and The Highly Sensitive Child. She has lived in many places all over North America, from a geodesic dome on Cortes Island to an aging southern mansion on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, and now divides her time between New York and San Francisco.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
10,072 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and helpful. They describe it as a phenomenal read that answers a lot of their questions. The book explains that highly sensitive people are normal and process sensory information more deeply. It provides an understanding of the personality trait and how differences make you unique. Readers appreciate the compassion and acceptance the book offers.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

525 customers mention "Information quality"464 positive61 negative

Customers find the book insightful and helpful. It helps them understand themselves better and makes some points. The psychological research provides credibility and substantiates the author's premise. Overall, the tone of acceptance and empowerment is appreciated.

"...Instead I found a smart, astute, science-based book which explained to me why I was slowly dying at my job, why I could not sleep at night, and why..." Read more

"...She takes on a tone of acceptance and empowerment throughout the book, which is radically different than what most of us are used to hearing as an..." Read more

"...Improved Coping Mechanisms: The practical strategies provided help HSPs develop effective ways to manage their sensitivity and reduce overwhelm...." Read more

"...Aron's psychological research adds credibility and substantiates her premise about defining what sensitivity is and how it should be viewed...." Read more

376 customers mention "Readability"376 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and valuable. They say it's an insightful read that helps them improve their lives. The first chapter is interesting and the book is not too long.

"...Instead I found a smart, astute, science-based book which explained to me why I was slowly dying at my job, why I could not sleep at night, and why..." Read more

"...It is not a difficult read and it is not a long book. It will give you so much insight into this amazing personality trait...." Read more

"This work is generally a good read in helping one understand the highly sensitive person (HSP)...." Read more

"...I found it to be an enormously valuable book, addressing a subject which I had never found before...yet, one that proved to be one of the most..." Read more

112 customers mention "Sensitivity"89 positive23 negative

Customers find the book helpful for recognizing and accepting their sensitivity. It offers explanations and illustrations of the spectrum of sensitivity, which includes physical, psychological, and spiritual awareness. The book helps readers understand and appreciate their sensitivity as an asset in daily life.

"Reading this book felt like coming home. It explained why I cry so easily (especially even during happy moments), why I crave nature and..." Read more

"...: The book offers a wealth of practical tips and techniques for HSPs to manage their sensitivity, cope with stress, and create a more fulfilling..." Read more

"...Sensitivity involves physical, psychological, and spiritual awareness on a deeper level than the majority of non-sensitive persons experience...." Read more

"...Both clearly have an important role. The Highly Sensitive Person defines the traits (with a self-assessment); asks you to accept yourself and..." Read more

29 customers mention "Personality trait"26 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insight into the personality trait. They find it helpful in defining and explaining it. The book offers an alternative perspective on differences and how they are valuable. It provides useful information for both the public and professionals. The author's tone is gentle and kind, and being an HSP is seen as a noble calling.

"...It will give you so much insight into this amazing personality trait. Empaths/HSPs are not weird, they're not "wrong" or broken...." Read more

"...* Increased Self-Awareness: HSPs gain a deeper understanding of their unique trait and how it affects their lives. *..." Read more

"...that highly sensitive people are both "normal" and have many valuable traits...." Read more

"...or shame you for being different, it says that your differences are what make you unique and that they give you unique opportunities to contribute..." Read more

24 customers mention "Compassion"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book compassionate and understanding. They say it helps them show compassion for themselves and others. The author seems like a friend, helping them love themselves and embrace their spiritual nature. The book helps them be more appreciative of others and themselves.

"...relationships, work, love and sex, medicine and medication, and spirituality, with advice on how to avoid overarousal, especially unhealthy..." Read more

"...It's given me understanding, and so: acceptance and peace." Read more

"...up the tightly sewn area of my belly but she has helped me with the emotional scars and healing as well...." Read more

"...It's not a religious book, it's a book about finding peace and about managing the stresses of life...." Read more

16 customers mention "Acceptance"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful in finding acceptance and self-worth. It helps them feel validated and understood. Readers also mention it helps promote self-acceptance and self-worth.

"...Support and Validation: The book provides a sense of validation and support for HSPs, helping them understand that their sensitivity is not a flaw..." Read more

"...scientific backing to how you feel, as well as emotional support and validation for how being an HSP affects you in many aspects of life...." Read more

"...It's given me understanding, and so: acceptance and peace." Read more

"This book gave me an incredible comfort, I felt seen, validated and profoundly understood myself, after I was diagnosed with HSP...." Read more

151 customers mention "Writing quality"98 positive53 negative

Customers have different views on the writing quality. Some find it well-written and easy to follow, with a pleasant way of laying out the research. They say it should be required reading for everyone, especially parents and teachers. Others feel the book is not concisely written, hard to grasp and understand the subject, and at times cookie-cutter.

"...While the first half of the text is well written and useful, in my opinion, the latter half is a slide downhill into not only strategies intended to..." Read more

"...Author made it hard to grasp and understand the subject...." Read more

"...; in these two "categories" in a practical and easy way, further including information of "how to" live in a world that is, generally..." Read more

"What I like about this book: It gives a lot of descriptions and ideas for how to live life as a sensitive person...." Read more

35 customers mention "Psychology"17 positive18 negative

Customers have different views on the psychology in the book. Some find it relatable and insightful, providing explanations for why certain events or people have an impact on them. They appreciate the real-life situations documented and the ability to deal more effectively with social pressures and misunderstandings. Others feel the constant talk about psychotherapy is wearing and there are too many exercises that don't appeal. The psychology element is questionable at best, with some finding it questionable whether an HSP has something wrong with them.

"...and throwing in political stereotypes and even some religious new-agey stuff...." Read more

"...Yes, there are real-life situations documented, but even those felt sterile and distant at times." Read more

"...Some of them are very spiritual in an odd way...." Read more

"...It makes me feel a little less freakish and a little less alone. I'm grateful to have found it." Read more

Amazing info
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing info
I bought thus after reading Duvergent Mind. And this book did nit disappoint. The research and studies that I have learned from are incredible!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017
    This may be the best book I have read in years. Maybe a decade. I was a year and a half into a very stressful job with a bully boss when I found this book -- I'd heard about it for years but thought the title sounded girlie and wimpy so I hesitated to read it. I don't like gooey, emotional, sappy stuff. Well guess what... no sap here. Or at least so little sap that a person who doesn't like sappy didn't really notice. Instead I found a smart, astute, science-based book which explained to me why I was slowly dying at my job, why I could not sleep at night, and why I was so stressed at work that I literally could not stomach my sandwich at lunch but would almost throw it up every day (but I could eat at home) -- I was operating at a level of physical stress which was impossible for a highly sensitive person to sustain, and yet I was somehow sustaining it. (I am very stubborn.) Once I actually looked at myself, looked at my actual situation, stopped blaming myself for being "weak" and "broken" and "not tough enough" and stopped trying to be what I am not, I saw clearly that I was ignoring my physical body's symptoms of extreme stress and hurting myself bad. Reading this was a wake up call at a time in my life when I really needed it, and gave me enough confidence to finally stand up to my impossible to please, bullying, manipulative boss and just quit. I am going back to school and retraining to become a software developer so that I can work in an environment that won't kill me. Not everyone is the same; everyone has different physical tolerances. If you find yourself "too sensitive" etc, give yourself a break. You are not a clone of the extrovert next to you. Pay attention to your body and read this book. IF YOU ARE AN EXTROVERT, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. If you are NOT highly sensitive, please read this book!!! I wish to God every human being would read this book so people could finally start understanding each other, and society in general would stop hurting those among them who are not built with the same nervous system that the 80% majority of humanity has!!!! This has nothing to do with race boundaries, religion, nationality... this is all about pure genetics and how our species (in fact how over 100 species on this planet) function. It's ground breaking work.
    1,370 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2015
    Reading this book felt like coming home.

    It explained why I cry so easily (especially even during happy moments), why I crave nature and quiet, why I'm the type to "go with my gut" (and am usually right), why I cannot watch stressful, violent or disturbing shows or movies, why music moves me so powerfully, why I feel like I constantly have to take time for myself, why I feel like I live at a much slower pace than everyone else around me, why I have always had digestive issues, and so much more.

    Elaine is also an HSP so she writes not only from professional experience, but personal as well. She takes on a tone of acceptance and empowerment throughout the book, which is radically different than what most of us are used to hearing as an HSP.

    I wish I would have known about this personality trait and read this book as an adolescent. It would have saved me from so much grief and struggling to try and be something I was not. My husband has read it too and it has made a night and day difference almost in our marriage. He suddenly gets things that I have struggled for the past ten years to put into words. And he's also discovered that while he may not be an HSP, he is still at least moderately sensitive, so the book has helped him a lot too.

    To quote Frida Kahlo (who was probably an HSP too): “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it's true I'm here, and I'm just as strange as you.”

    If you even suspect you are an empath or highly sensitive person, or you think a loved one might be --- please, please, please read this book. It is not a difficult read and it is not a long book. It will give you so much insight into this amazing personality trait. Empaths/HSPs are not weird, they're not "wrong" or broken. They just have a different set of needs because of how they are made.
    54 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Celia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Buen libro para quien le interesa el tema
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 24, 2024
    Buen libro para quien le interesa el tema
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative for all
    Reviewed in Canada on September 6, 2024
    Great read for HSP’s or not. Better understanding one another is always a positive :)
  • A. B.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful book
    Reviewed in Brazil on January 11, 2022
    If you really are an HSP+ you will find this book extremely helpful, it carries lots of interesting info that can actually support you in reframing your perception of yourself and the world around you. The book is worth every penny.
  • Xhao Maris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Insightful
    Reviewed in India on August 23, 2024
    The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron enabled me to embrace my sensitivity and gave me some valuable insights on how to navigate life. Highly recommended to anyone who feels things deeply.
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    Xhao Maris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Insightful
    Reviewed in India on August 23, 2024
    The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine N. Aron enabled me to embrace my sensitivity and gave me some valuable insights on how to navigate life. Highly recommended to anyone who feels things deeply.
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  • angelika
    5.0 out of 5 stars standardwerk
    Reviewed in Germany on March 24, 2024
    Gründlich recherchiertes und fundiertes Standardwerk aus den Neunziger Jahren von Elaine N. Aron, die selbst HSP ist.

    Einige Fakten schockieren mich, z.B.:
    In den Neunziger Jahren wurden in den USA fast die Hälfte der Kinder von "nicht adäquaten" Eltern aufgezogen. (Ich weiß nicht, ob diese Zahlen auf Europa/ Deutschland übertragbar sind bzw. ob es hier ähnliche Erhebungen gibt?) Eine mögliche Folge ist, dass diese Kinder kein Urvertrauen bilden können und bindungsgestört sind.

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